The Metea Valley Mustangs take on the Lincoln-Way Central Knights in the first water polo contest of the season for the black and gold. Last season, the Knights took home the victory against the Mustangs 14-9. The Knights enter at 1-1 after splitting a tri-meet earlier in the week. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Metea Valley and Lincoln-Way open the IHSA boys water polo season with a two-goal margin
Metea starts the season out on offense with Billy Macleod breaking through the press. Billy passes it back to Jack Macleod for the first Mustang goal of the season.
With the chance to tie the game, Keagan Koester takes the free throw for the Knights after being fouled. Koester’s shot sneaks past Mustang goalie Owen Sickner to tie up the game with one goal each.
Later in the first quarter, Metea’s lead is now 4-1. Sickner finds Eli Petersen who then passes to Sam Sinzheimer who goes behind the back for the score! The Mustangs are out to a 5-1 lead.
The Knights begin to attack as Dan Fiske receives the pass from Souya Kubota. Fiske goes for the lob shot over the Mustang defense as his shot finds the back of the net. The Knights trail 5-3.
Moments later for the Mustangs, Matthew Shaw looks to put an end to the Knights’s 3-0 run. Shaw quickly finds Billy Macleod for the score. Metea leads 6-4 midway through the second quarter.
With about three minutes remaining until the end of the first half, the shot clock is winding down as the Knights have to attack quickly. The Knights offense finds Koester as his shot bounces past the goalie for the score, but the Knights still trail by four.
Mustangs close out the first half on a big run and take that momentum into the third quarter
With under a minute remaining before the end of the first half, the Mustangs get a defensive stop. Sickner throws it deep to Alex Bounds, getting him ahead of the defense. Bounds’ attempt just gets over the Knights goalie for the score. Going into the second half, the Mustangs lead 14-6 following a 4-0 run.
Four minutes remain in the final period as the Knights look to go on a run before it’s too late. The Lincoln-Way offense moves the ball around until it finds Koester who attempts another long range shot which finds the back of the net. Metea leads 15-8.
Late in the quarter, the Mustangs look to protect their lead. Logan Ray finds Sinzheimerr who puts the game out of reach with another score.
Metea Valley starts the season 1-0 with a victory over the Lincoln-Way Central Knights, 17-8.
For more prep sports highlights, visit the Naperville Sports Weekly page!