CMS Men's Water Polo Falls to No. 10 Harvard 12-8 on First Day of Crimson's Invitational

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Junior attack Zack Rossman had a hat trick but the CMS men's water polo team was unable to dig itself out of an early hole as it fell to No. 10 Harvard 12-8 on Friday night on the opening day of the Harvard Invitational at Blodgett Pool.

With the loss, the Stags are now 10-3 on the season, with all three losses coming to Division I teams that are currently ranked in the top 10 in the nation (No. 1 USC, No. 8 Pepperdine, No. 10 Harvard). The Crimson improve to 12-4 on the year with the win. 

Harvard never trailed after jumping out to a quick 2-0 lead and extending the margin to 5-2 at the end of the first quarter. Rossman got the Stags on the board first with a penalty shot to make it 2-1, and sophomore Barron Banta scored from the left side of the pool to close the deficit to 4-2 with 2:52 left in the opening quarter. 

Rossman's second goal closed the Stags within 5-3 with 5:29 left in the half, but the Crimson scored the next two goals to take a 7-3 lead into the break. CMS came out with renewed energy to start the second half and tallied goals from Robert Driscoll and Rossman to get back within 7-5 with 4:39 to go in the third, but the Crimson scored the next three goals to take control. 

Sophomore Koss Klobucher closed out the third quarter scoring with 43 seconds left, and junior Ethan Lewis pulled the Stags within 10-7 early in the fourth, but the comeback was not to be as Harvard struck for two more goals for a 12-7 advantage. Freshman William Clark closed out the scoring with 3:07 to play, and CMS had a couple chances to come closer, but Harvard maintained the 12-8 lead until the final horn. 

CMS will be in action tomorrow on the second day of the Harvard Invitational for two matches, facing Brown in the morning and Princeton in the afternoon, before closing out on Sunday with a match against Iona.