Oct. 17, 2005

Erie, Pa. - The Gannon and Mercyhurst men's water polo teams will meet for the third time this season when the two collide Tuesday night at 7:00 at the Mercyhurst-North East Aquatic Center. Gannon enters play 4-9 overall and 4-3 in the College Water Polo Association (CWPA). The Lakers are also 4-9, but 2-5 in the conference.

Mercyhurst and Gannon split the first two meetings. Mercyhurst defeated Gannon 12-7 in a non-conference match at Gannon on September 24. The Lakers outscored the Golden Knights 5-0 in a decisive fourth quarter to claim their first-ever win over Gannon.

The Knights returned the favor with an 11-10 verdict in an October 4 conference match at Gannon. Gannon outscored Mercyhurst a combined 9-4 in the first and third quarters and withstood a late Mercyhurst uprising.

Gannon has three double-digit goal-scorers. Senior Christian Torchio (Erie, Pa/Cathedral Prep) leads the Knights with 28 markers. Junior Brennan Lodge (Lansdale, Pa/North Penn) is next with 16 while sophomore Zach Dusckas (Erie, Pa/McDowell) has chipped in with 14. Sophomore Brandon Thomas (Erie, Pa/Cathedral Prep) and freshman Richie DiLoreto (Erie, Pa/McDowell) have shared time in goal.

Mercyhurst, which snapped a six-match losing streak last Thursday with an 11-10 home win against Penn State Behrend, has five players with double-digit goals. Freshman Andrew Schonhoff (Saint Louis, Mo/DeSmet) is tops with 28 followed by freshman Zach Bell (Shillington, Pa/Governor Mifflin) with 22, freshman Jorge Montero (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla/Northeast) with 21, junior Kyle Bogucki (Jenison, Mich/Jenison) with 13, and freshman Oscar Calderon (Chicago, Ill/Fenwick) with 11. Senior Patrick Staab (Erie, Pa/Cathedral Prep) has started 11 of the Lakers' 13 games between the pipes.

Following the match, both teams will compete at the Division II Eastern Championships next weekend at Salem (W.Va.) International.