(ERIE, Penn., Oct. 14) – The McKendree University men's water polo team fell to Mercyhurst University 13-10, and Gannon University 15-7 on Saturday at the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division II Championships.
 
The Bearcats first game of the CWPA Division II Championships came against Mercyhurst University at 1:30 p.m. EST. McKendree took an early 3-0 lead after goals from sophomore attacker Michael Krause (St. Louis, MO/Saint Louis University High School), sophomore attacker Izaya Owotor (Portland, OR/David Douglas High School), and freshman center Abraham Allen (Webster Groves, MO). The Lakers responded with two goals to close out the first quarter with McKendree holding a 3-2 lead. Mercyhurst tied the game at three a side in the second quarter, but sophomore attacker Joseph Mahan (Corinth, TX/John H Guyer High School) answered two past the Lakers goalie to give McKendree the 5-3 lead. Mercyhurst and McKendree would continue trading goals throughout the second quarter, leaving the Bearcats trailing 8-7 heading into halftime. Mercyhurst continued to hold a lead at the end of the third quarter, with the score at 11-9. McKendree's goals in the quarter came from freshman utility player Sean Legg (Ottawa, Ontario) and Mahan. Sophomore attacker Luc Gregory (Laguna Beach, CA/Laguna Beach High School) netted the Bearcats' only goal of the fourth quarter, as Mercyhurst added two to take a 13-10 over McKendree.
 
McKendree's second matchup of the CWPA Division II Championships came against host, Gannon University at 5 p.m. EST. The Golden Knights took an early lead in the contest grabbing three goals before the Bearcats could find the back of the net. Goal scorers for McKendree in the first quarter were Allen and Owotor, but Gannon would hold a 4-2 lead heading into the second quarter. Gannon extended its lead in the second quarter grabbing three goals to McKendree's one. The Bearcats goal came on a hard shot from Gregory. The Golden Knights held McKendree off the board in the third quarter, as they added five goals to hold a 12-3 heading into the fourth quarter. The Bearcats turned up the heat in the fourth quarter scoring four goals, but it wouldn't prove to be enough as Gannon added three goals and took home a 15-7 victory. McKendree's goal scorers in the fourth quarter were freshman defender Brandon Kavanaugh (Hawthorn Woods, IL/Mundelein Cons. High School) with two, sophomore attacker Jackson Smith (McHenry, IL/McHenry West High School), and sophomore attacker Robert Esson (Huntington Beach, CA/Huntington Beach High School).
 
The Bearcats are back in action Sunday morning against Salem International University at 10 a.m. EST for the final contest of the CWPA Division II Championships.