Kotskar vs. Concordia

Men's Water Polo Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Kotskar Sets New Season Scoring Record as Gannon Splits Pair of Matches at WWPA Championships

O'FALLON, Ill. – The Gannon men's water polo team split a pair of matches on Friday in its first-ever WWPA Championships. The Golden Knights, the number three seed from the East opened with a 15-12 loss to 2W Concordia (Calif.). They followed that up with a tight 16-14 win over 3W Fresno Pacific. McKendree is hosting the championships at the McKendree Metro Rec Plex.

Alexandros Kotskar (Voula, Greece/Athinaiki Agogh) enjoyed a record-breaking day in the process. The sophomore from Greece scored six goals in the opening match, in the process breaking the Gannon season record for goals. He followed up with eight goals in the nightcap. He finished the day with 14 goals and three assists and now has 95 goals on the season. Charles Doane held the previous record of 83 set in 2004.

Gannon, now 11-10, returns to action on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. facing 4E Mercyhurst.  

2W Concordia (Calf.) 15, 3E Gannon 12
Gannon jumped out to an early lead as Alexandros Kotskar (Voula, Greece/Athinaiki Agogh) got the Golden Knights on the board a minute into the match. Concordia scored back-to-back goals for a 2-1 lead, but Kotskar's second goal of the match tied the score at 2-2 with 4:23 remaining. The goal also tied the school record for goals in a season. Seth Johnson (Sugar Hill, Ga./Lanier) gave the lead back to the Golden Knights at 3-2, assisted by Kotskar, with 3:55 left in the first period. Concordia took the lead for good scoring the next three goals before Kotskar pulled the Golden Knights to within 5-4 to end the period. The goal gave the sophomore the school record for goals in a season. The Golden Eagles took control of the match in the second period, outscoring Gannon 5-1 to hold a 10-5 lead at intermission. Kotskar's fourth goal of the match accounted for the lone score. Concordia still led 13-8 when the Golden Knights rallied. Four straight goals, three to end the third period and the fourth to open the scoring in the fourth period, pulled Gannon to within 13-11. Kotskar accounted for two of the goals, with Nathaniel Castellon (Eastvale, Cal./Eleanor Roosevelt) and Vladimir Mickic (Subotica, Serbia/Nikola Tesla) also finding the back of the net. Concordia ended the run with two goals to hold off the Golden Knights. CUI held a 39-29 advantage in shots, although Gannon had a higher shooting percentage at .414 to .385. Both teams failed to convert on the power play, with Gannon 0-of-14 and CUI 0-of-6. Alvaro Marco (Madrid, Spain/IES Ortega y Gasset) had 10 saves in goal.

Gannon Goals: Alexandros Kotskar (Voula, Greece/Athinaiki Agogh) 6 goals-1 assist; Vladimir Mickic (Subotica, Serbia/Nikola Tesla) 3 goals-1 assist; Seth Johnson (Sugar Hill, Ga./Lanier) 1 goal-1 assist; Nathaniel Castellon (Eastvale, Cal./Eleanor Roosevelt) 1 goal; Matthew Harkrader 1 goal; Marty Kaverman Jr. (Erie, Pa./McDowell) 2 assists; Ben Fribourg (Cincinnati, Ohio/Sycamore) 2 saves; Dylan Schmitzerle (Bradenton, Fla./Huron) 2 assists.
Gannon Saves:  Alvaro Marco (Madrid, Spain/IES Ortega y Gasset) – 32 minutes, 15 goals, 10 saves
 
3E Gannon 16, 3W Fresno Pacific
Gannon would lead the entire match but repeatedly had to gold off Fresno Pacific. Marty Kaverman Jr. (Erie, Pa./McDowell) and Matthew Harkrader scored goals in the first 69 seconds to give Gannon a 2-0 lead. The Sunbirds scored to make it 2-1, but Gannon ran off the next three goals, all by Alexandros Kotskar (Voula, Greece/Athinaiki Agogh), for a 5-1 lead less than halfway through the first period. Fresno Pacific rallied to within a goal at 5-4 before Vladimir Mickic (Subotica, Serbia/Nikola Tesla) scored the first of his three goals for a 6-4 lead after one period. The two teams would mirror each other the rest of the way, as each scored three goals in the second period, four in the third, and three in the fourth. All told the Sunbirds pulled to within a goal on seven occasions. Each time the Golden Knights responded. The last came late in the match as Fresno Pacific made it 15-14 with 1:25 remaining. Mickic scored 11 seconds later for the final margin. Gannon outshot the Sunbirds 32-29 and had a .508 shooting percentage. For the second straight match neither team capitalize on the power play, with Gannon 0-for-15 and Fresno Pacific 0-for-11.    

Gannon Goals: Alexandros Kotskar (Voula, Greece/Athinaiki Agogh) 8 goals-2 assists; Vladimir Mickic (Subotica, Serbia/Nikola Tesla) 3 goals; Matthew Harkrader 2 goals, 2 assists; Ian Dovydaitis (Orlando, Fla./East River) 2 goals; Marty Kaverman Jr. (Erie, Pa./McDowell) 1 goal, 1 assist; Alvaro Marco (Madrid, Spain/IES Ortega y Gasset) 4 assists; Ben Fribiurg 1 assist; Dylan Schmitzerle (Bradenton, Fla./Huron) 1 assist
Gannon Saves:  Alvaro Marco (Madrid, Spain/IES Ortega y Gasset) – 32 minutes, 14 goals, 9 saves
 
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Players Mentioned

Ben Fribourg

#5 Ben Fribourg

A
6' 0"
Junior
Seth Johnson

#7 Seth Johnson

C
6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
Marty Kaverman Jr.

#2 Marty Kaverman Jr.

Util
5' 11"
Redshirt Senior
Alexandros Kotskar

#10 Alexandros Kotskar

Util.
6' 0"
Sophomore
Alvaro Marco

#1 Alvaro Marco

GK
5' 10"
Junior
Vladimir Mickic

#6 Vladimir Mickic

C
Senior
Dylan Schmitzerle

#3 Dylan Schmitzerle

2-M Def.
6' 0"
Senior
Nathaniel Castellon

#15 Nathaniel Castellon

A
Freshman
Ian Dovydaitis

#8 Ian Dovydaitis

Util.
6' 2"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Ben Fribourg

#5 Ben Fribourg

6' 0"
Junior
A
Seth Johnson

#7 Seth Johnson

6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
C
Marty Kaverman Jr.

#2 Marty Kaverman Jr.

5' 11"
Redshirt Senior
Util
Alexandros Kotskar

#10 Alexandros Kotskar

6' 0"
Sophomore
Util.
Alvaro Marco

#1 Alvaro Marco

5' 10"
Junior
GK
Vladimir Mickic

#6 Vladimir Mickic

Senior
C
Dylan Schmitzerle

#3 Dylan Schmitzerle

6' 0"
Senior
2-M Def.
Nathaniel Castellon

#15 Nathaniel Castellon

Freshman
A
Ian Dovydaitis

#8 Ian Dovydaitis

6' 2"
Freshman
Util.