Men's Water Polo Opens Season with Sweep

Saturday, September 1

Annapolis, Md.

11:30 am ET

George Washington University

Wagner

Andrew Mavis scored a team-high three goals in Friday's victory over Gannon.

9/1/2018 8:30:00 PM | Water Polo

Colonials beat No. 20 Wagner and Salem International

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- George Washington men's water polo kicked off its season Saturday with a sweep at the Navy Open.

The 18th-ranked Colonials came from behind to defeat No. 20 Wagner, 15-14, in a rematch of last season's Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference final, also won by the Buff and Blue.

In the nightcap, GW cruised past Salem International, 22-9, to complete its 2-0 start at Navy's Lejeune Hall. Twelve different Colonials recorded goals in that one.

Andrew Mavis paced GW with a combined eight goals, a tremendous start on the heels of his All-American sophomore season in 2017.

No. 18 GW 15, No. 20 Wagner 14: GW erased a two-goal deficit by scoring six times in the fourth quarter.

Atakan Destici tied it at 13 with 1:43 left before Andras Levai found the net 24 seconds later to put the Colonials in front for good. Then, Mavis added an insurance tally to finish off the victory.

Mavis scored six goals against Wagner, while Levai added five goals, two assists and a steal. Destici, Jordan Blosser, Nick Schroeder and Zach Slaughter accounted for the other GW goals.

No. 18 GW 22, Salem International 9: GW scored eight of the first 10 goals and kept on rolling in a convincing performance in the nightcap. Every Colonial who saw action recorded either a goal or an assist.

Destici, Blosser and Schroeder scored three goals apiece to lead the onslaught. Josh Yardley, Henry Maas, Finn Lillis, Heath Faulkner, Zachary Pendolino, Nicholas Polydefkis and DJ Davis all scored for the first time in Buff and Blue.

UP NEXT: GW wraps up the season-opening Navy Open on Sunday with matchups against La Salle (9 a.m.) and Iona (3:15 p.m.).

No. 18 GW 15, No. 20 Wagner 14
GW -- 3-2-4-6--15
Wagner --2-3-6-3--14
GW Goals: Mavis 6, Levai 5, Schroeder 1, Blosser 1, Slaughter 1, Destici 1.
GW Assists: Destici 3, Levai 2, Slaughter 1, Schroeder 1.
GW Steals: Kerwin 2, Levai 1, Davis 1.
GW Ejections Drawn: Mavis 4, Levai 3, Destici 2, Slaughter 1.
GW Saves: Pyrch 10.

No. 18 GW 22, Salem International 9
GW -- 5-6-6-5--22
Salem International --1-3-2-3--9
GW Goals: Destici 3, Blosser 3, Schroeder 3, Mavis 2, Kerwin 2, Yardley 2, Maas 1, Faulkner 1, Lillis 1, Pendolino 1, Polydefkis 1, Davis 1.
GW Assists: Yardley 3, Kerwin 2, Slaughter 2, Maas 1, Levai 1, Gill 1, Faulkner 1.
GW Steals: Kerwin 1, Schroeder 1, Yardley 1, Davis 1.
GW Ejections Drawn: Mavis 4, Kerwin 1, Gill 1, Davis 1.
GW Saves: Pyrch 11.