Men's Water Polo | September 14, 2019

ERIE, Pa.– The Explorers began the Laker Invite with split results, defeating Penn St. Behrend and falling to Salem in overtime. Juniors Cole Strohson, Daniel Domotor and Ash Lyne, along with sophomore Tyler Williams, each struck for five goals over the pair of games. Lyne and Domotor were the high men on points with 11 and 10 respectively.
 
Salem 13, La Salle 12
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The two teams kept the first quarter to a minimal score, with each side netting once. Salem then began the second frame with two straight scores, but the Explorers kept things close and went into the half trailing 4-3.
• The Tigers jumped out again but Domotor and senior Joey DeFusco reeled Salem back in to a 5-5 tie. The opposition threatened to pull away again, but freshman Derek Allen scored and leveled things heading into the fourth.
• The final frame of regulation was characterized by La Salle's refusal to allow the Tigers to slip away. Four times Salem took the lead, and four times the Explorers answered back to force overtime.
• In the opening period of extra water polo, Salem jumped out and threatened to win it, but a goal from Williams forced an additional set to be played. Williams would give La Salle the lead in the sixth, but the Tigers scored twice late to earn the victory.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Trio of trifectas: Williams, Domotor and Lyne each tallied hattricks against Salem. La Salle's number 10 added four assists, while Domotor dished for two.
• Strohson made his presence felt defensively in this contest with four exclusions earned, two steals and a block. His kickouts drawn trailed only senior Luke Waechter, who finished with six for La Salle.
• Junior Cameron Schiable was busy in net and on his game, recording 14 saves and adding an assist. 

 
La Salle 16, Penn State Behrend 12
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Explorers began quickly in this contest, with perhaps something carrying over from the previous match, and jumped out to a 3-0 lead against the Lions.
• La Salle would keep its opponent at bay just enough through the first half. The team finished the first up 4-2 and the second up 8-6.
• The Blue & Gold would open up the third in fantastic fashion, rattling off five straight to stretch its lead commandingly. The Lions would fight back but La Salle held a convincing 14-8 advantage after three.
• Penn St. Behrend opened with two straight strikes to make things tighter, but Domotor and Strohson struck back-to-back to ice the game for the Explorers.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• High scorer: this was Strohson's game in front of net as the number four struck for five goals. He also added three steals and three exclusions earned to his stat line.
• Domotor was an offensive and defensive force in this contest. The Hungarian finished with a whopping seven steals to go along with a block. He also tallied five points (two goals, three assists).
• Lyne would score twice and add two assists and a block, while Williams was also on the double and led the team in blocks with two.
• Schiable again had a high-volume, solid game in net with 11 saves and a pair of steals.

UP NEXT

• The Explorers face the home side, Mercyhurst, at 11 a.m. tomorrow. That game is followed by a matchup with Gannon at 2:45 p.m.