PRINCETON, N.J. –  Riyad Shehadeh and goalkeeper Ethan Zirh shined as the LIU men's water polo team opened up their 2023 season in the Princeton Mini-Tournament, taking on host Princeton and George Washington.
 
In the first match, the Sharks fell, 14-6, but there was plenty to be excited about.
 
Zirh kept LIU in it, recording a match-high 12 saves.
 
Shehadeh, a transfer from St. Francis Brooklyn, was one of the best players in the pool and stepped his game up in his debut as a Shark. He led the match with five goals, and scored a few of them from distance
 
"We wanted to start the season in a very competitive way where we're measuring ourself to the top of the conference, the top East Coast water polo," coach Gabby Juarez said. "Beginning the season in that way allowed us to really understand what our areas of growth need to be in a very elite way."
 
In the second match against George Washington, LIU attempted a comeback scoring four unanswered goals but unfortunately it was cut short by the clock and the Sharks fell 13-9.
 
Zirh had another impressive showing, tallying 16 saves.
 
Karl Lovett, a Wagner transfer, and Josep Jodra Muñoz, a transfer from St.Francis Brooklyn, led the team with four and three goals each. Riyad Shehadeh scored another goal late to get his season total to six.
 
Freshmen Tony Franco and Anthony Gauna both made their collegiate debuts in the match against Princeton.
 
"We ended the day on high note," Juarez said. "We're taking it quarter by quarter and hopefully we learned from this experience. We had the opportunities to win our second game today and the next two games are very winnable for us."
 
On Sunday, the Sharks take on Gannon at 11:30 a.m. and host Washington & Jefferson at 3 p.m. at the W&J Invitational in Pennsylvania.