ERIE, Pa. – Coach Zarko Sadikovic's Gannon men's water polo team experienced an ideal start to the  Erie Invitational on Saturday.
 
The Golden Knights collected two convincing wins at Hallman Aquatics Center, and many Gannon players were able to make solid contributions in the victories. Gannon defeated Connecticut College 21-8 in the first game and beat Washington & Jefferson 21-7 as the Golden Knights improved to 7-3.

 
Gannon 21, Connecticut College 8: The Golden Knights erupted to a 9-2 lead through one period and a 13-2 halftime advantage.
 
Petar Markovic (Belgrade, Serbia) led the way with five goals and two assists for seven points, while Nikiforos Liantziris (Athens, Greece), had a hat trick.
 
Gannon got two goals apiece from Mathieu Bordet (Marseille, France), Victor Volant (Fuveau, France), Michael McGarry (Erie, Pa./McDowell), and Bator Mohacsi (Budapest, Hungary).
 
Rajmund Farsang (Eger, Hungary), Ben Fribourg (Cincinnati, Ohio/Sycamore), Paco Palacian (Seattle, Wash./O'Dea), Ian Dovydaitis (Orlando, Fla./East River), and Jordan Kraus (Erie, Pa./McDowell) each added one goal.
 
Kraus collected three assists, while Mohacsi, Dominic Demeritte (Nassau, Bahamas/Blake Academy), and Matt Harkrader dished out two assists each.
 
Gannon goalie Alvaro Marco (Madrid, Spain/IES Ortega y Gasset) made seven saves while allowing two goals in the first half. Mohacsi had six saves while playing in goal in the second half.

 
Gannon 21, Washington & Jefferson 7: Alexandros Kotskar (Voula, Greece/Athinaiki Agogh) had a hat trick to lead a very balanced GU offensive attack. Gannon led 8-1 after one period and 12-3 at the half.
 
Adding two goals apiece were Farsang, Fribourg, Dovydaitis, Liantziris, Dillon Shaw (Salt Lake City, Utah/Skyline), and Nathaniel Castellon (Eastvale, Cal./Eleanor Roosevelt). Markovic, Bordet, Volant, McGarry, Kraus, and Sebastian Gallo (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) each scored once.
 
Farsang paced Gannon with three assists, while Liantziris, Kotskar, Bordet, Volant, and Ryan Davis (Tinley Park, Ill./Victor J. Andrew) each recorded two assists.
 
Marco and Hewson Morphy (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) each were credited with seven saves in goal.
 
 
What's ahead:
 
On Sunday, Gannon will meet Wheaton College (Mass.) at 9 a.m. and Penn State Behrend at 3 p.m.