The Dartmouth Men's Water Polo team got off to a 4-0 start at a home tournament this weekend in their first attempt as returning National Club Water Polo champions.
The Big Green -- who are currently ranked number one in the nation, ahead of such teams as the University of Michigan and the University of Colorado -- knocked off Trinity College, Yale University, Amherst College and long-time rival Williams College in the Collegiate Water Polo Association's qualifying tournament.
Led by the offensive skill of co-captain Ken Kriwanek '99 and Ryan Utsumi '01, and supported by the defensive stability of co-captain Danny Alfonso '99 and goalie Matt Nelson '00, Dartmouth easily defeated an out-paced Trinity squad. Utsumi racked up seven goals in the 28-14 blowout, while Nelson managed to put in a stunning two-pointer out of his own goal.
The highly anticipated Saturday night match gave Dartmouth the chance to prove its superiority over a scrappy and determined Williams team. Down 7-3 in the second quarter, the Big Green rallied back with the support of a raucous crowd. Doug Morton '99 helped to close the gap with a two-pointer late in the second quarter. The next half saw the Big Green take the lead and expand, leaving Williams with a 14-10 defeat.
Williams had defeated Dartmouth last year in the final of the New England championships, but Dartmouth went on to defeat them in the semi-finals of the national tournament before winning the title against Colorado. Williams and Dartmouth have both vied for supremacy in the New England division in recent years.
The Yale match-up proved to be more of a struggle than the Big Green had counted on. Down by two in the fourth quarter, Dartmouth rallied for a 17-11 overtime victory.
