ERIE, Pa. - McKendree University men's water polo concluded its three game weekend slate of Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference-West Region play here at Mercyhurst University Sunday by dropping a 15-10 decision to Gannon (Pa.) University at Hallman Aquatics Center. 

With the setback, McKendree falls to 3-3 overall on the season and 2-1 in MAWPC-West play, while Gannon improves to 5-3 and has now won four consecutive games. The loss snapped McKendree's 11-game MAWPC-West winning streak that had dated to the 2019 season. 

The Bearcats were outshot 40-35 in the game and the teams combined for 16 goals in the first half as Gannon led 9-7 at the half. The biggest difference in the game came in the third period as the Golden Knights outscored McKendree, 4-2 in the third period to push its lead to 13-9. In the fourth period, McKendree was outscored 2-1 to cap the scoring. 

Five Bearcats scored in the game, including senior attacker Nico Rodriguez (Bogota, Colombia/Oviedo) and senior utility player Matthew Haygood (Chino Hills, Calif./Chino Hills) combined to score seven of McKendree's 10 goals. Rodriguez led the way with four goals, while Haygood added three. 

Along with five players scoring at least one goal in the game, senior attacker Josh Carlson (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln Way West) added three assists and Haygood had two assists as he finished with five points on the game. 

Haygood got the scoring started with a goal just 62 seconds into the contest and after Gannon score the next two goals to take a 2-1 lead, the Bearcats used goals by senior attacker Tony Sunagawa (Chino Hills, Calif./Chino Hills) and Rodriguez to take a 3-2 lead. Gannon, though, would close the period by scoring two goals in the final 10 seconds of the period to hold a 4-3 lead after the opening eight minutes.

Gannon opened the second period by scoring four of the first seven goals to take an 8-5 lead, before Rodriguez and graduate student Uros Pelemis (Belgrade, Serbia/Fresno Pacific) scored two of the final three goals of the period to drop Gannon's halftime lead to 9-7. 

The Golden Knights would open the third period with a four goals to push its lead to 13-7, but the Bearcats would respond by closing the period with goals by senior center Tristen Clue (Chino Hills, Calif./Calif.) and Haygood to cut Gannon's lead to 13-9 heading into the final period. 

After Gannon scored two more goals in the fourth period to push its lead to 15-9, Haygood would cap the scoring with a goal with 1:12 left in the contest. 

Gannon had balanced scoring in the game as nine players scored goals for the Golden Knights, including Tim Baer, Ethan Hamp and Dylan Schmitzerle each tallying two goals in the win. Marty Kaverman and Drago Marjanovic each had four assists in the win. 

Fifth-year senior Ori Scanlon (Orlando, Fla./Olympia) played all 28 minutes in goal and collected nine saves and allowed 15 goals, while Jacob Hollo and Alvaro Marco shared goalie duties for Gannon as each played 16 minutes. Hollo allowed seven goals and had five saves and Marco finished with 10 saves and allowed three goals. 

McKendree will return to action on Thursday, Sept. 30 as they begin their six-game trip to California with a 10 a.m. PT game in Irvine, Calif., against Westcliff University.