EMMITSBURG, Md. (November 12, 2021) – An electric crowd at the ARCC Swimming Pool got treated to an absolute classic of a game between the Mount St. Mary's and Johns Hopkins men's water polo teams.  It came down to the last second, but the Blue Jays walked off with the game-winning goal as time expired to disappoint the Mount faithful.
 
Kiahi Horan led the Mountaineers for the second straight contest, scoring four times. Jason O'Donnell and Jason Fitch supplied multi-goal games. Marko Kruska enjoyed a solid game, particularly in the first half, stopping 12 shots and scoring once.
 
Using stifling defense and inspired by the cheering fanatics, the Mount broke the ice on a goal from Fitch. Kruska then electrified the crowd with a full-length court goal to take the edge into the second quarter. Horan sealed his hat trick in the first half as the Mountaineers took a three-goal lead and the momentum into halftime.
 
Not deterred, Hopkins stormed out of the locker room and silenced the cheers with a 4-0 run to open the second half. Jaden McNeal-Villafana found the back of the net, but it was the Mount's lone goal in the third.
 
The sides played back-and-forth to open the fourth, and JHU held an 11-10 lead with 1:41 remaining. Kacper Cieplik equalized the game following a timeout, but the Blue Jays countered and forced a stop, before holding the ball and letting the shot clock expire. Head coach Alyssa Diacono drew up a play that positioned O'Donnell to be in a prime spot. The season leading scorer delivered with three seconds left to knot the affair at 12-12.
 
With only a desperation heave from the goalkeeper at their disposal, Kyle Pearson sealed the game for the visitors, as his shot for half court skipped past Kruska right as the clock hit zero.
 
Senior Day kicks off at 4:30 p.m. as the Mount takes on Penn State Behrend, their final non-conference challenger this year.
 
Johns Hopkins 13, Mount St. Mary's 12
 
Team                  1    2    3    4
Mount St. Mary's      2    4    1    5
Johns Hopkins         1    2    5    5
 
Mount St. Mary's Goals: Horan 4, O'Donnell 2, Fitch 2, Lemishko 1, Cieplik 1, McNeal-Villafana 1, Kruska 1