ERIE, Pa. -- The Wheaton College (Mass.) men's water polo team was defeated by Gannon University, 20-7, this morning at the Erie Invite hosted by Pennsylvania State University Behrend at the Erie Prep Center in Erie, Pa.

The Lyons fall to 0-5 on the season, while the Golden Knights improve to 8-3.

First year 2-meter defender Jack Ruggiero (Hamden, Conn.) and first year attacker Jared Safren (Miami, Fla.) each netted a pair of goals for Wheaton. Ruggiero added a career-high six steals and Safren posted the first multi-goal effort of his collegiate career. First year utility Spyros Rapsomanikis (Kerkyra, Greece) scored a goal and added two assists in addition to six steals, while classmate Josh Vander Wagen (Brookfield, Ill.) also registered a goal and a pair of helpers to go with a game-high and career-best eight thefts. First year goalie Dylan Boccali (Ventura, Calif.) was credited with a save, eight steals and an assist for the Lyons.

Senior Alvaro Marco (Madrid, Spain) led all scorers with four goals for Gannon, while senior driver Jordan Kraus (Erie, Pa.) and first year center Dillon Shaw (Salt Lake City, Utah) each netted a trio of goals. 

The Golden Knights dominated the opening quarter scoring 11 times as part of a 15-0 run to open the game. Sophomore center Paco Palacian (Seattle, Wash.), Marco and Shaw all scored a pair of goals during the opening stretch, while one of Marco's markers gave Gannon a 15-goal lead with 3:16 remaining in the second quarter. 

First year 2-meter Michael Ruemelin (Chicago, Ill.) put Wheaton on the board with a score coming with 2:18 left in the first half. It was part of a mini-run for the Lyons, who scored two of the next three goals with the second notched by Ruggiero to cut the deficit to 16-2 with 6:17 showing in the third quarter.

The Golden Knights capped their scoring with four of the next six goals, including two from Marco, to take a 20-4 advantage with 4:39 to play in the game.

Wheaton tallied the final three markers of the match, including two from Safren to set the final at 20-7.