December 4, 2021
Banner Season: Varsity Blues ground the Ravens to extend championship streak to five
Ottawa, Ont. - The Varsity Blues reign supreme once again following a 15-9 victory over the Carleton Ravens in the 2021 OUA Water Polo Championship. The win is the 35th in program history for the University of Toronto side and their fifth in as many seasons.
The first quarter would start with both teams quickly trading chances. After Toronto's Aiden Masters would open the scoring, the Ravens would respond as David Lapins scored less than 30 seconds later tying the game at one. Both teams would continue to trade chances throughout the quarter before Timmy Pourkazemi's first of the game put the Blues in the lead 4-3 after one. In the quarter Carleton would receive two goals from Lapins and one from Leandro Velazquez while the Varsity Blues had two goals from Masters, and one each from Diego Gonzalez Delgado and Timmy Pourkazemi.
The Ravens would score first in the second as Quinn Davis would tie the game before Bruno Marunica, Gonzalez Delgado, and Cam Hexter would all score to extend the lead to four. As Toronto increased pressure throughout the first half, Ravens goalkeeper Avto Mikadze was stellar in making a number of key saves. The Ravens would respond in the dying minute of the half as Velazquez would add his second of the match before Varsity Blues goalkeeper Minos Kotzambasis would make a timely last-minute save to stop the Ravens pressure and preserve the 8-5 lead.
The Varsity Blues would come out firing midway through the third quarter, scoring three goals in under one minute. With two goals from Marunica and one from Gonzalez Delgado, the Ravens looked to be out of the match before scoring three of their own in response. After David Lapins scored for the Ravens with only three seconds left in the quarter, Hexter would respond off the restart for his second of the match.
Opening the fourth quarter with a 12-8 lead, the Varsity Blues would add a fourth goal from Gonzalez Delgado. Despite a fifth goal from Lapins, goals from Marunica and Masters were enough to close out the match as the Varsity Blues secured the 2021 banner.
Award Winners
Co-Most Valuable Player - David Lapins, Carleton
Co-Most Valuable Player - Bruno Marunica, Toronto
Most Valuable Goalkeeper - Minos Koztambasis, Toronto
Coach of the Year - Tuna Tali, Toronto
The first quarter would start with both teams quickly trading chances. After Toronto's Aiden Masters would open the scoring, the Ravens would respond as David Lapins scored less than 30 seconds later tying the game at one. Both teams would continue to trade chances throughout the quarter before Timmy Pourkazemi's first of the game put the Blues in the lead 4-3 after one. In the quarter Carleton would receive two goals from Lapins and one from Leandro Velazquez while the Varsity Blues had two goals from Masters, and one each from Diego Gonzalez Delgado and Timmy Pourkazemi.
The Ravens would score first in the second as Quinn Davis would tie the game before Bruno Marunica, Gonzalez Delgado, and Cam Hexter would all score to extend the lead to four. As Toronto increased pressure throughout the first half, Ravens goalkeeper Avto Mikadze was stellar in making a number of key saves. The Ravens would respond in the dying minute of the half as Velazquez would add his second of the match before Varsity Blues goalkeeper Minos Kotzambasis would make a timely last-minute save to stop the Ravens pressure and preserve the 8-5 lead.
The Varsity Blues would come out firing midway through the third quarter, scoring three goals in under one minute. With two goals from Marunica and one from Gonzalez Delgado, the Ravens looked to be out of the match before scoring three of their own in response. After David Lapins scored for the Ravens with only three seconds left in the quarter, Hexter would respond off the restart for his second of the match.
Opening the fourth quarter with a 12-8 lead, the Varsity Blues would add a fourth goal from Gonzalez Delgado. Despite a fifth goal from Lapins, goals from Marunica and Masters were enough to close out the match as the Varsity Blues secured the 2021 banner.
Award Winners
Co-Most Valuable Player - David Lapins, Carleton
Co-Most Valuable Player - Bruno Marunica, Toronto
Most Valuable Goalkeeper - Minos Koztambasis, Toronto
Coach of the Year - Tuna Tali, Toronto
