Rookies Shine in Trio of Men's Water Polo Losses

After opening its weekend at the Princeton Invitational with a win on Friday night, the Harvard men’s water polo team (3-4) could not fend off its opponents on Saturday and Sunday, dropping the final three games of the tournament.

Giving up first-half runs to three straight opponents, the Crimson could not recover in the tournament’s final games, including two against ranked foes in No. 13 Princeton and No. 3 California.

But the tournament did showcase the talent of the underclassmen, who led the team’s attack all weekend.

“We are a young team, so there’s a lot of maturity that needs to be developed,” junior co-captain Will Roller said. “But we are only two weeks in. Progress has been made, certainly, but I don’t think anyone on the team is happy with our record and our performance in the games. We all know we can do a lot better, and everyone is willing to work and put in the time for that.”

Freshman Blake Lee led the way offensively with 11 goals on the weekend.

“[The freshmen] are truly an impact class,” Roller said said. “[Lee] stepped up this weekend, [freshman] Noah Harrison the weekend before. Overall, there is a lot of speed [in the freshman class], and that’s improving our game because we are able to swim with a team…that in years past had been able to counterattack us up and down the pool.”

Lee believes the weekend’s effect on team chemistry will pay dividends down the road.

“We have so much potential and talent after these past two weekends,” he said. “I’m really excited for the rest of the season and looking forward for what we can do.”

JOHNS HOPKINS 8, HARVARD 5

In the final matchup of the weekend, Harvard took on a veteran Johns Hopkins squad. After giving up an early run to its opponent, Harvard was unable to pull even despite a third-quarter rally, falling 8-5.

For the third straight game, Harvard surrendered a first-half run, as the Blue Jays raced out to a 6-2 lead by the end of the first two periods.

The Crimson responded in the third, shutting out the Johns Hopkins offense and scoring two goals of its own. But the Blue Jays retook the momentum, outpacing the Crimson, 2-1, in the final frame.

Freshman Blake Lee finished with two goals, bringing his season total to 22.

NO. 3 CALIFORNIA 13, HARVARD 7

After keeping pace with one of the nation’s best squads in the first period, the Crimson surrendered debilitating runs preceding and following halftime, and the the Bears (5-0) handed Harvard its second Saturday defeat to a ranked opponent.

Underclassmen continued to lead the Crimson attack, accounting for all seven of the team’s strikes. Sophomore Max Murphy led the offense with three goals in the game.

After some inconsistent play against Princeton earlier in the day, Roller was happy with his team’s mindset in the second part of the Saturday doubleheader

“[Cal] is the third-ranked team in the country, and we were able to play with them,” Roller said. “It was much more of a consistent game, and we were able to maintain our intensity.”

NO. 13 PRINCETON 13, HARVARD 7

A strong second half from the Crimson could not erase an early deficit, as Harvard lost its first game of the weekend to the Tigers, 13-7, on Saturday.

Princeton (3-2) caught the Crimson on its heels early, taking a five-point lead by the end of the first half. Harvard kept pace in the second, but was unable to make a run of its own.

“Princeton came out hard, and we all kind of went, ‘Oh, no,’” Roller said. “Once we brought our composure back it was a much more reasonable game. It’s neck-and-neck if you take out that first quarter.”

HARVARD 13, CAL LUTHERAN 5

Harvard opened the Princeton Invitational with a dominating display against the Kingsmen (1-3), as a freshman-led attack spurred the team to a 13-5 win.

Lee scored a game-high five goals while classmate Ben Zepfel added two of his own and an assist.

Roller praised Zepfel for his contributions and his ability to create chances for his teammates.

“He has come in and is dominating the two-meter for us offensively,” Roller said. “Specifically, his work in there is opening up a lot of outside shots for guys like [Lee], [Murphy], and [Harrison]. That is a crucial element to have the dual threat from inside and outside.”

—Staff writer Peter G. Cornick can be reached at pcornick@college.harvard.edu.