Join Harvard Men’s Water Polo as They Gear Up for the Exciting Princeton Invitational!

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The No. 16 men’s water polo team is gearing up for a busy weekend at the Princeton Invitational. They’ll be competing at DeNunzio Pool, facing three teams over two days.

On Saturday, they kick off with a match against No. 19 California Baptist at 8:00 a.m., followed by another game against No. 19 Navy at 3:30 p.m. They’ll wrap up the weekend on Sunday with a game against Bucknell at 8:00 a.m. Unfortunately, the matches won’t be streamed, but fans can stay updated through social media.

Key Highlights:

• The Crimson had a solid start, finishing the Bruno Classic with a 3-1 record, a repeat of their success from two years ago.
• They secured wins against Bucknell, Gannon, and Wagner, with their only loss to No. 3 Fordham.
• In their three victories, Harvard excelled in the fourth quarter, outscoring opponents 13-11 overall.

Head coach Ted Minnis is nearing a milestone, with 297 career wins, just a few shy of his 300th. Last year, Harvard had narrow victories over California Baptist and Navy, winning both by just one goal. In those games, Jack Burghardt scored a clutch goal with only 0.26 seconds left against the Lancers. Meanwhile, Mason Hunt and Dean Strauser each had standout performances with hat-tricks against Navy.

Defensively, Oliver Price shone brightly. He earned the NWPC Defensive Player of the Week title after making 20 saves across four games, significantly helping the team during the crucial moments.

Freshman Felix Pal made a splash during his debut, scoring seven goals and assisting once, showcasing the promising talent emerging within the team.

Looking Ahead:

After Princeton, Harvard will head to the West Coast for matches against UCLA, Long Beach, Cal State Fullerton, and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. These games will be crucial as the team continues to build on their early success.

As water polo grows in popularity, these matchups will be essential not just for rankings but also for developing the sport’s following at the collegiate level. Fans can expect exciting plays and competitive spirits as the season unfolds.

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