Carlos Reyes (@CarlosReyesSJ) – Spear Reporter
San Jose State men’s water polo (2-4, 0-0 GCC) clashed against the US Naval Academy (5-5, 0-0 MAWPC) in the final day at the Aggie Roundup in Davis, Calif. SJSU looked to clinch a win following its disappointing loss to UOP.
The first quarter saw the Spartans swimming against the current as the Midshipmen’s attack went on a 3-0 scoring streak to close off the first quarter.
Sophomore goalkeeper Jamie Steingraf defended the net with two heroic saves, preventing the score from getting any worse for the Spartans.
The Spartan offense woke up from their slumber in the second quarter with two goals from utility sophomore Bende Pardi. Utility junior Gal Haimovich contributed to the scoresheet off an assist from graduate center Niels Hofmeijer.
USNA was quick to strike back with a goal of its own before the half, increasing their lead to 5-3 as the whistle blew.
Second Half
The Spartans were a completely different team after the break, as they stormed past the Midshipmen defense and went on an impressive 5-0 run. In an attempt to stop SJSU’s newfound momentum, USNA was forced to take a timeout. A wise decision, as it ended up producing two scores in its favor.
As the third period neared its end, Haimovich took advantage of the penalty call and rifled a shot past USNA’s junior goalkeeper Caden Capobianco to solidify the Spartan’s lead 9-7.
Pardi continued his dominance in the final quarter, with a rapid penalty shot that helped increase his goal total to 17 for the season.
Junior utility Mark Kis completed his hat trick with a powerful shot that skipped past the goalkeeper and found the back of the net. Kis’ score cemented SJSU’s 13-9 win over USNA.
SJSU men’s water polo seeks to finish off the Aggie Roundup on a high note against Occidental College on Sunday, Sept. 18 in Davis, Calif.