PRINCETON, N.J. — The No. 19 Santa Clara University men's water polo team nearly swept the day at the Princeton Invitational, narrowly falling to host No.13 Princeton, 12-11, in the morning before blowing out Mount St. Mary's, 23-13, at the Tigers' DeNunzio Pool.
 
vs. No. 13 PRINCETON

• No. 19 Santa Clara (3-1) led, was tied, or only trailed by one goal through the first three periods and 3 1/2 minutes into the final frame. The fouling out of WCC Preseason Team honoree Riccardo De Simon under the six-minute mark in the fourth made a big difference on both the offensive and defensive end, as No. 13 Princeton (3-0) immediately scored back-to-back goals to take a 10-8 lead it wouldn't surrender.
   
• The Broncos pulled to within one goal at the 4:29 mark, the 3:40 mark and with three seconds left, but never could get that extra goal to tie the game back up. It's Santa Clara's closest decision versus the Tigers since also falling by only one goal, 9-8, on Sept. 10, 20222, in the 2022 Princeton Invitational. Three of the Broncos' last six defeats at the hands of Princeton have been by only one goal.
   
• De Simon and Henry Engs both scored three goals each versus Princeton to lead Santa Clara. Jason Alietti and Imme van der Schaaf both scored twice, and Thomas Wisdom added a goal in the second period. Finn LeSieur scored six goals for Princeton, including four in the second half.

vs. MOUNT ST. MARY'S

• Santa Clara got goals from 10 different players in its nightcap to dominate the Mountaineers. Reese Jenican and De Simon both scored four goals in the game to lead the Broncos. Ashton Brown and Engs both scored three goals. Alietti, Charlie Kosinski and van der Schaaf all scored two goals each against Mount St. Mary's. Thomas Wisdom, Grant Roesch and Weston Bancroft all added single goals.
   
• The Mountaineers tied the game at 2-2 just over two minutes into the game, but three unanswered goals by the Broncos over the next two minutes put them ahead for good. SCU pulled away in the second and third quarters, outscoring MSM, 12-4, in those 16 minutes. Alexandros Belesis tied for the game high with four goals of his own for Mount St. Mary's.

COMING UP

• Santa Clara closes out the 2025 Princeton Invitational at 8 a.m. PDT / 11 a.m. EDT on Sunday with a single game versus No. 4 Fordham.