No. 5 Men’s Water Polo Starts 2024 With Two Wins At Navy Open

Saturday, September 7

Annapolis, Md.

11:45 AM

Princeton University

Biola

Gavin Appeldorn

Photo by: Kathy Swart

No. 5 Men’s Water Polo Starts 2024 With Two Wins At Navy Open

September 07, 2024 | Men's Water Polo

Annapolis, Md.- The No. 5 Princeton University men's water polo team started off their 2024 campaign with a bang. The Tigers combined for 55 goals in their first two wins of the season.

Princeton 24, Biola 2

Princeton put up eight goals in the first quarter from five different scorers. With an 8-1 lead going into the second, Princeton tacked on five more goals to hold a 13-1 advantage going into halftime.

Kristóf Kovács held Biola scoreless in the second and third quarters and only allowed two goals in the matchup.

Princeton closed out the first game of the season with a final score of 24-2.

In his first collegiate game, Tas Palcza scored four goals for the Tigers and added two steals. Roko Pozaric matched Palcza with four goals of his own.

Goals: Palcza (4), Pozaric (4), George Caras (3), Gavin Appeldorn (2), Logan McCarroll (2), Vladan Mitrovic (2), Tigran Sennett (2), Nathan Banos, Luke Hammarskjold, Finn LeSieur, Gavin Molloy, Isaac Rotenberg

Saves: Kovács (15)

Princeton 31, Occidental 7

In the second game of the weekend, the Tigers carried their positive momentum into the matchup against Occidental. Princeton hopped out to an 8-3 lead after the first quarter and increased that to double digits at 16-5 at the half.

Kovács notched another scoreless third to help Princeton dominantly close the door on Occidental in the fourth with a final score of 31-7.

The trio of Appeldorn, Caras and Palcza each recorded five goals in the win.

The 31 goals scored by the Tigers set a new program record. The previous high of 26 goals was set in 1999 when Princeton defeated Salem-Teikyo 26-10.

Goals: Appeldorn (5), Caras (5), Palcza (5), Pozaric (3), McCarroll (3), Banos (2), LeSieur (2), Mitrovic (2), Sennett (2), JP Ohl, William Swart