(SALEM, WV., Sept. 22) – The McKendree University men's water polo team traveled to West Virginia this weekend to play four games. On Saturday they made a comeback to beat Salem International University 15-14 and lost 15-6 to Mercyhurst University.
 
Game 1
Despite a slow start, the Bearcats found a way to come back and beat the Tigers of Salem International University. McKendree found themselves down 6-2 after the first period. Junior Joseph Mahan (Corinth, TX/John H Guyer High School) found the back of the cage twice for the Bearcats.
 
The Bearcats found their rhythm in the second period as they rattled off seven goals to tie the game at nine. Junior Izaya Owotor (Portland, OR/David Douglas High School) and Mahan each added two scores each. Freshman Tony Sunagawa (Chino Hills, CA/Chino Hills High School), Peter Germuska (Encinitas, CA/La Cost Canyon High School), and Ben Brauer (Duisburg, Germany/Steinbart-Gymnasium Duisburg) each scored a goal apiece for McKendree. Salem would score three goals in the period.
 
Freshman Nico Rodriguez (Winter Park, FL/Oviedo High School) found the back of the cage for his first goal of the season and Brauer would add his second goal with a five-meter penalty shot. The Tigers would add three goals to take a 12-11 lead heading into the fourth.
 
Junior Michael Krause (St. Louis, MO/Saint Louis University High School) caught fire in the last period as he poured in three goals to tie the game at 14. Mahan gave McKendree the lead on a penalty shot which proved to be the difference as the Bearcats held on to win 15-14.
 
"The boys did a fantastic job coming from a five goal deficit after the first quarter, which is a really rare feat," said McKendree head coach Colleen Lischwe. "At both ends of the pool we battled back and were able to pull out an awesome win over Salem for the first time in program history."

HIGHLIGHTS
 
Game 2
In the second game of the day, McKendree faced off against the Lakers of Mercyhurst University. Mahan and Owotor each scored a goal but the Bearcats would be tied 2-2 after eight minutes.
 
Freshman Matthew Haygood (Chino Hills, CA/Chino Hills High School) scored his first of the day to give the Bearcats a 3-2 lead. Mahan and Brauer would add each add in a goal but McKendree would trail 9-5 at halftime.
 
Mahan would score the lone goal for the Bearcats in the second half as they fell 15-6 to Mercyhurst.
 
"Game two of the day certainly was not our best performance, especially after playing so well to start the weekend," said Lischwe. "We can however take a lot away from this game and gain some good experience from it. I expect that we will make the necessary adjustments in order to have success tomorrow."
 
The Bearcats will return to the pool tomorrow, September 23 as they take on Connecticut College and Gannon University.