ERIE, Pa. -- The Gannon University men’s water polo team finished third this weekend at the Division II Eastern Championship hosted by Queens College (N.Y.).  Gannon fell to Mercyhurst College 14-6 in the opening match before earning a 12-2 win over Salem International University to take third place honors. 

Mercyhurst defeated Gannon for the third time this season after the Lakers used nine second-half goals to win 14-6. Mercyhurst blanked Gannon in the first quarter, leading 3-0 after the first eight minutes. Gannon and Mercyhurst both scored twice in the second, with the Golden Knights trailing 5-2 at the half. 

Mercyhurst would use five goals in the third quarter and four in the fourth to break open the match. Gannon scored three times in the third and once in the fourth. 

The Golden Knights were lead by  Gio Martino (Fort Lauderdale, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas) who scored four of the six Gannon goals.  Daisuke Takagi (Tsukuba, Japan/Namiki) and Marc Krolikiewicz (Elmhurst, Ill./York High School) each added a goal in the loss. 

Deven Williams (Fort Lauderdale, Fla./Alvin (Texas)) had four blocks in goal in three quarters of play and Neal Zoellick (Homewood, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoor) had two in the final quarter. 

Gannon faced off against Salem International in the second match, earning a 12-2 win and its third win over the Fighting Tigers this season. 

The Golden Knights were up 4-0 after the first quarter, and held a 6-1 advantage at the half. Gannon would out-score Salem 3-0 in the third and 3-1 in the final quarter to earn the 12-2 victory. 

David Landry (Huntingdon, Pa./Huntingdon Area) led Gannon’s scoring effort with three goals. Krolikiewicz, Martino and Alex Bollman (Mason, Ohio/Mason) each added two goals. Zoellick finished with six blocks in the game. 

Gannon is now 8-6 on the season and will travel to Fordham University for a 10:15 a.m. match against Iona and a 3:15 p.m. match against Fordham on Sunday, October 24.

Release courtesy Gannon Athletic Communications