BRIDGEPORT, Pennsylvania - After a resurgent Sunday to snag a pair of wins up at Brown, the Salem men's water polo team had some big news to add to this weekend's action. The Tigers swept the Western Water Polo Association's weekly awards, with Goncalo Silva winning the defensive award for his efforts in the cage and Marko Zivojinovic winning the offensive award for his stellar performances in the field.
Marko Zivojinovic - WWPA Offensive Player of the Week
"Marko Zivojinovic has kept the WWPA's top offense humming all season long. Over four matches, the Serbian utility scored 19 goals, dished out 11 assists and drew 15 exclusions while helping the Tigers to a 2-2 mark. The junior scored five in each game against Division I opponents Iona and Brown, before providing seven goals and four assists in the win over Occidental. Later that afternoon, Zivojinovic delivered five assists and drew four exclusions. In the WWPA ranks, Zivojinovic is second in points (96), assists per game (2.7) and points-per-game (6.4) behind only teammate Nikola Krstonosic (Sept. 11-17, 2023 WWPA Offensive Player of the Week)." Courtesy of Matt Berson of the WWPA.
Goncalo Silva - WWPA Defensive Player of the Week
"John Madden once quipped, "If you have two quarterbacks, you actually have none." Well, good thing this isn't American football. Salem earned its third WWPA Defensive Player of the Week award of 2023, this time by junior goalkeeper Goncalo Silva, who has been "keeping" two-time WWPA Defensive Player of the Week (Aug. 28-Sept. 3, 2023 & Sept. 11-Sept. 17, 2023), teammate Duarte Costa, on his toes all season. Silva logged 31 saves over four games in the Northeast, tallying 19 of those saves over wins against Occidental and MIT. He added a pair of steals for good measure. Silva ranks tenth in the WWPA with 19 total assists and eighth in total saves (82)." Courtesy of Matt Berson of the WWPA.
The Tigers will be back in action in the first of two WWPA conference play weekends on October 28th and 29th in Erie, Pennsylvania where they will take on McKendree, Mercyhurst, and Gannon.
