EMMITSBURG, Md. (September 5, 2021) – The Mount St. Mary's men's water polo team battled in a pair of fierce competitions with Salem and Iona Sunday. In the end, the Tigers and Geals took the contests, defeating the Mount by one goal each.  
 
Sophomore Jason O'Donnell continued his strong start, contributing nine goals for the game. He finished the weekend with 17 goals, more than four per game. Kiahi Horan had a multi-goal game with two successful tries against Salem, and Eli Thalos matched O'Donnell with a game-high four goals in the contest with Iona.
 
Goalkeeper Marko Kruska had a busy day in the net, securing 27 saves, including 15 in the Salem game.
 
Trailing 12-10 against Salem, the Mount rallied to tie the score with 2:45 left as Horan scored his second goal of the morning. But the Tigers regained the lead seconds later and added insurance a minute later, giving them the win.
 
Later that afternoon, Mount St. Mary's found themselves down 7-4 at the break with the Gaels. That gap extended to 12-7 entering the final quarter when the Mountaineers staged a valiant comeback attempt. O'Donnell, Thalos and Jaden McNeal-Villafana mustered goals in the fourth and the defense held Iona to a shutout. McNeal-Villafana's goal got the Mount within a goal with 75 seconds left but were unable to equalize.
 
Michael Lemishko, Zach Fischer and Alex Hoy all scored their first goals as Mountaineers during Sunday's competition.
 
Their record now 0-4, Mount St. Mary's heads to Erie, Pa. next weekend to challenge three teams – Penn State Behrend, Gannon and Mercyhurst.
 
Salem 14, Mount St. Mary's 13
 
Team                                   1             2             3             4
Mount St. Mary's               3             5             2             3
Salem                                  1             7             4             2
 
Mount St. Mary's Goals: O'Donnell 5, Horan 2, Hopkins 1, Wallace-Whitfield 1, Lemishko 1, Thalos 1, Fischer 1, Fitch 1
 
Salem Goals: Krstonosic 7, Rowley 2, Leontijevic 2, Zivojinovic 1, Wind 1, Hicks 1
 
Iona 12, Mount St. Mary's 11
 
Team                                   1             2             3             4
Mount St. Mary's               3             1             3             4
Iona                                     3             4             5             0
 
Mount St. Mary's Goals: O'Donnell 4, Thalos 4, Cieplik 1, McNeal-Villafana 1, Hoy 1
 
Iona Goals: Vlasic 3, Nastic 2, Miller 2, Refaat 1, Ginsberg 1, Feeley 1, Folan 1, DiSalle 1