No. 15 Navy Water Polo Cruises Past Mercyhurst, 20-4
No. 15 Navy water polo turned a close opening few minutes into a complete rout Saturday afternoon, defeating Mercyhurst, 20-4, at the Hallman Aquatic Center in Erie, Pennsylvania. The Midshipmen improved to 11-2 overall and 2-0 in Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference play with the victory, while Mercyhurst fell to 2-14 overall and 0-5 in conference action. Navy broke open a 1-1 game with 12 consecutive goals, effectively putting the contest away before halftime.
Aiden Berry opened the scoring for Navy before Mercyhurst answered with a five-meter goal to tie the game at one. That response proved to be about the only resistance the Lakers could generate during the first half, as Connor Cashman, Maximus Arnold, Declan Murphy and Berry scored to close the opening quarter. Navy’s combination of pressure, depth and finishing ability quickly turned what had briefly been an even game into a commanding Midshipmen advantage.
Navy completely took over during the second quarter and continued piling up goals from throughout the lineup. Austin Kahn scored twice, Murphy added two more goals, Hudson Parks scored twice, and JB Bergstedt and Jack Pointner also found the back of the net. By halftime, the Midshipmen had constructed an overwhelming 13-1 advantage, with their 12-0 scoring run demonstrating just how quickly this Navy offense can take control of a game.
Mercyhurst finally ended Navy’s run by scoring the first goal of the second half, but the Midshipmen immediately went back to work offensively. Orion Erwin, Cashman, Bergstedt and Parks accounted for four more Navy goals, preventing the Lakers from generating anything resembling a comeback. Navy entered the final quarter comfortably in control and was able to continue getting contributions from throughout its roster.
The Lakers scored to begin the fourth quarter before Berry completed his hat trick with a five-meter goal. Mercyhurst answered once more, but Jack Rodoni and Ryan Munch scored the final two goals of the afternoon to finish Navy’s 20-goal performance. The final 20-4 margin accurately reflected how thoroughly the Midshipmen controlled the game after Mercyhurst briefly tied the score in the opening period.
Perhaps the most impressive part of the victory was Navy’s balance, as 11 different Midshipmen scored at least one goal. Berry, Murphy and Parks each recorded hat tricks, while Bergstedt, Cashman and Kahn finished with two goals apiece. Arnold, Erwin, Munch, Pointner and Rodoni also scored, allowing head coach Luis Nicolao to get significant playing time and production from numerous players.
That depth was particularly important because Navy entered the weekend with several established offensive stars carrying much of the statistical load. Kiefer Black entered the Mercyhurst game leading Navy with 47 points, while Quinn Bartlett had a team-high 28 goals and Declan Bartlett had contributed 22 goals. Instead of needing those players to dominate against Mercyhurst, Navy received major production from other parts of the roster, an encouraging development as conference play intensifies.
Navy’s dominant performance also continued what has been an impressive season against a challenging schedule. The Midshipmen entered the weekend at 10-2 after going 3-1 during a difficult stretch that included victories over Air Force, No. 17 Santa Clara and No. 11 Loyola Marymount before an 11-10 loss against No. 8 UC Irvine. Navy had trailed UC Irvine by as many as five goals before nearly completing the comeback, showing that this team can compete with nationally ranked opposition in addition to overwhelming teams when it holds a clear advantage.
Nicolao was particularly pleased that Navy secured an important conference victory while also giving younger players meaningful opportunities. He emphasized afterward that the Midshipmen received contributions from throughout the roster and could use the Mercyhurst game to build depth for the remainder of the season. With the conference schedule becoming increasingly important, having more players capable of contributing should only make Navy more dangerous.
The Midshipmen did not have much time to celebrate, with a much more difficult conference matchup awaiting them Sunday at Bucknell. Navy responded by defeating the Bison, 15-8, improving to 12-2 overall and 3-0 in the MAWPC while snapping Bucknell’s six-game winning streak. Quinn Bartlett scored four times in that victory, while Aiden Day and Declan Bartlett each recorded hat tricks as Navy completed an impressive conference road weekend.
Navy will now continue its MAWPC schedule with another road trip next weekend. The Midshipmen are scheduled to visit Fordham on Saturday, Oct. 10, before facing Wagner on Sunday, Oct. 11, in Staten Island. After dominating Mercyhurst and following it with a convincing victory over Bucknell, Navy heads into that trip carrying a 12-2 record and plenty of momentum.
MSB Take
Navy’s 20-4 victory was exactly the type of performance a nationally ranked team should produce against an overmatched conference opponent. The most encouraging part was not simply the 16-goal margin, but the fact that 11 players scored and three recorded hat tricks, showing just how much offensive depth Nicolao has available. Navy followed the blowout by beating a much stronger Bucknell team the following day, making the entire weekend another strong statement from a Midshipmen squad that looks capable of making significant noise nationally this season.
