Sophomore Joe Moran and the newly established Monmouth water polo team have set a new milestone in Monmouth College history. This past Saturday, Sept. 29, Monmouth hosted its very first water polo tournament at the Pepper Natatorium.

This season, the team is comprised of 19 players who are coached by Moran and senior Kurt Niemeier and also led by junior Eric Pavlacka and sophomore Matt Travnik. The water polo team is in its second season and has already rattled their conference competition.

The tournament brought in all seven teams in the conference. Moran says the competing teams were taunting the Scots because of their status as a new team, but the Scots were happy to destroy any doubts of their skill and determination.  

In its first game of the tournament, Monmouth defeated last year’s conference champion Macalester College 10-9. Monmouth also went on to defeat Knox College with a 13-3 victory to finish the tournament with a 2-2 record.

Freshman Tom Pedersen led the Scots offensively with five goals in the Knox game followed by Moran, who scored three. Pedersen also led the tournament with 13 total goals.

Matt O’Rourke also scored five goals in the tournament and provided “unbelievable defense,” according to Moran. The Scots’ water polo team will travel to Minnesota in two weeks to compete in the conference tournament, and from there hopefully onto nationals. “Our team earned a lot of respect after this tournament and are a real contender for nationals,” said Moran. 

The Scots will not be graduating any seniors and are aiming for a great third season.

Return to Home -- Return to Sports