EMMITSBURG, Md. (September 30, 2022) – After surrendering a comeback, Mount St. Mary's men's water polo held back another comeback from Biola to go 1-1 during the first day of the Gary Troyer Tournament.
 
Chapman 19, Mount St. Mary's 17
 
Team                 1    2    3    4
Mount St. Mary's     6    4    3    4
Chapman              4    7    2    6   
 
Goals: Baldineti 5, Valavanis 3, Fischer 3, Horan 2, Thalos 2, Bellesis 1, Haney 1
 
Saves: Maxson 6, Hosni 5
 
Mount St. Mary's capitalized on scoring opportunities, converting 53 percent of their shots. But the Panthers utilized power plays, going 5-for-9, and converted all three of their penalties to win. Exclusions proved harmful to the Mount, committing double the amount of Chapman's at 12-6.
 
Three goals in the first helped the Mountaineers grab a 6-4 advantage. Chapman responded in the second quarter, rallying to score seven times including the go-ahead goal with seven seconds remaining. The score returned to even entering the fourth period, Eli Thalos registered a goal to go ahead, but Chapman answered with a 3-0 run and rode the momentum to the win.
 
Mount St. Mary's 11, Biola 9
 
Team                 1    2    3    4
Mount St. Mary's     3    3    2    3   
Biola                2    1    5    1
 
Goals: Bellesis 4, Baldineti 4, Horan 1, Thalos 1, Haney 1
 
Saves: Maxson 10  
 
Jumping out to a 6-3 halftime lead, the Mount had to withstand a third quarter charge from the Eagles. Biola found themselves trailing by five early and responded by rattling off five unanswered scores. The streak knotted up the contest into the final frame.
 
Each team secured a 6-on-5 powerplay to start the fourth, with Biola earning the lead and Mount St. Mary's countering off an Alexandros Bellesis shot. Tommaso Baldineti provided to go-ahead goal with 5:09 left. For three minutes, the Mountaineers maintained the precarious one-point lead as Biola worked to complete their comeback. Joseph Maxson made a couple key saves, and a tying attempt with a little over two minutes left hit the bar. Baldineti then added the insurance score to polish off the victory.
 
Day two takes place Saturday, with contests versus La Verne and #16 California Baptist.