Men's Water Polo 11/7/2021 2:29:00 PM Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Gannon Wins Mid-Atlantic Water Polo West Region Championship for Second Time in Three Years Behind MVP Marjanovic

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The Gannon men's water polo team jumped out to a big early lead then held off a late McKendree rally to capture the Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference Western Region Championship by a final score of 15-13 on Sunday morning at the Mylan Park Aquatics Center in Morgantown, W.Va.

The victory was the sixth in a row for head coach Shane Unger's team and sends the Golden Knights to the Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference Championships at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. on November 20-21. The Golden Knights improved to 13-8 with the victory.

Gannon has now won two of the last three Mid-Atlantic Western Region Championships and denied McKendree a second straight title. This was the third straight year the two squared off in the championship game. McKendree was a 21-8 winner in the 2020 game which was played this past February, while Gannon prevailed 15-14 in overtime in 2019.

This marked the fourth meeting of the season between Gannon and McKendree. The Golden Knights had claimed two of the first, including a 13-11 decision in the CWPA Division II Championships.

Drago Marjanovic (Belgrade, Serbia/North Allegheny (Pa.)) paced Gannon with four goals and a pair of assists after contributing four goals and seven assists on Saturday. For his efforts, the senior from Serbia was named the championships' MVP and was on of five Golden Knights named to the All-Tournament Team. Meanwhile, Unger was named the Coach of the Tournament. He previously earned the same honor at the CWPA Division II Championships.

Marjanovic was joined on the All-Tournament First Team by Dylan Schmitzerle (Richmond, Va.) and Marco. Schmitzerle, a sophomore, scored three goals, while Alvaro Marco (Madrid, Spain/IES Ortega y Gasset) had 16 saves in goal and also was credited with an assist. Vlad Mickic (Subotica, Serbia /Nikola Tesla) and Hamp were accorded Second Team All-Tournament honors. Mickic scored twice while Ethan Hamp (Chicago, Ill./Von Steuben) had a goal and three assists.

Tony Squeglia (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) finished with a goal and four assists, with David Gallion (Arlington, Va./Homeschool) showing a goal and an assist. Tim Baer (Oceanside, Calif./Classical Academy), Marty Kaverman Jr. (Erie, Pa./McDowell), and Seth Johnson (Sugar Hill, Ga./Lanier) each contributed a goal, while Robert Bolmanski (Fairview, Pa./McDowell) had two assists.

The Golden Knights jumped out to a big lead, with the first half a defensive battle. Gannon would hold a 5-2 advantage after the first 16 minutes. Marco held the Bearcats scoreless in the first quarter as Gannon jumped out to a 3-0 lead.

Squeglia opened the scoring at 6:38, assisted by Gallion. It was 2-0 after Marjanovic scored the first of his four goals at 4:17, assisted by Bolmanski. Gannon would score again at 3:43 with Marjanovic doing the honors again on a penalty shot.

McKendree finally got on the board with a power play goal at 3:35 of the second quarter as Marco held the Bearcats scoreless for over 12 minutes. Kaverman and Schmitzerle answered with Gannon goals as the lead grew to 5-1. McKendree made it 5-2 at the half with a goal at the 1:40 mark.

Gannon would score six of the first seven goals in the third quarter as the Knights took their largest lead at 11-3. Marjanovic scored twice in that stretch, with Mickic's goal off a feed from Squeglia making it 11-3 with 2:34 remaining in the period.

McKendree came roaring back. The Bearcats scored the final three goals of the third quarter as Gannon's lead was reduced to 11-6 entering the final eight minutes of regulation. They would make it four straight goals just 14 seconds into the quarter as Gannon's lead suddenly shrank to 11-7.
The two teams then exchanged runs. Gannon boosted the lead back up to 14-7 with just over five minutes remaining on goals by Gallion, Mickic and Seth Johnson (Sugar Hill, Ga./Lanier). The Bearcats answered with four goals in a span of just over two minutes, with the last suddenly closing the gamed to the closest it had been since midway through the second quarter at 14-11 with 2:43 left to play.

Schmitzerle gave the Knights some breathing room with a goal off a feed from Squeglia with 57 seconds left. McKendree would score twice in the final 40 seconds for the final margin.

2021 MID-ATLANTIC WATER POLO CONFERENCE WEST REGION CHAMPIONSHIP
All-Tournament Team
Most Valuable Player: Drago Marnajovic (Gannon)
Rookie of the Tournament: Nikol Krstonosic (Salem)
Coach of the Tournament: Shane Unger (Gannon)

First Team
Alvaro Marco (Madrid, Spain/IES Ortega y Gasset) (Goalie), Gannon
Drago Marjanovic (Belgrade, Serbia/North Allegheny (Pa.)), Gannon
Dylan Schmitzerle (Richmond, Va.), Gannon
Uros Pelemis, McKendree
Josh Carlson, McKendree
Ivan Zivojinovic, Salem
Chad Rowley, Salem

Second Team
Ori Scanlon (Goalie), McKendree
Michael Rojas, McKendree
Matthew Haygood, McKendree
Vlad Mickic (Subotica, Serbia /Nikola Tesla), Gannon
Ethan Hamp (Chicago, Ill./Von Steuben), Gannon
Michael Gutman, Mercyhurst
Derek Kagen, Mercyhurst
Nikola Krstonosic, Salem
Cam Spicer, Washington & Jefferson

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