Bucknell University
George Washington
Bucknell Men's Water Polo Claims Third at Southern Division Championship
11/2/2003 7:00:00 AM | Men's Water Polo
Nov. 2, 2003
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell used a three-goal run to end the second quarter and start the third to break a 2-2 tie and never look back in a 10-6 victory over George Washington in the third-place game of the Southern Division Championship on Sunday, November 2. It was BU's second upset of the tournament, as the sixth-seeded Bison knocked off third-seeded Johns Hopkins on Friday, before defeating the fourth-seeded Colonials.
The first quarter proved to be a defensive battle, with GW only able to get off two shots, and the Bison just three. The first three trips for each team down the pool led to steals by the opposing team, but the Colonials finally struck with 2:56 left in the frame. Nicholas Koenemann successfully converted a four-meter shot for the 1-0 lead.
The Bison countered with just under a minute to go, scoring in an extra-man situation when junior Aaron Platshon found senior Scott Afzal in front of the net.
Bucknell took a 2-1 lead with 4:51 to go in the half when junior Jay Danforth batted in a bouncing pass from sophomore Lars Weborg. Koenemann tied the game again, 2-2, with his second of the contest at the 2:27 mark, taking advantage of a six on five opportunity.
Sophomore Bradley Roslyn regained the lead with 31 seconds until the break, firing a shot past GW keeper Chris Blick. Junior Nick Ferring made it a two-goal contest with his first of the game, taking a long pass from junior Paul Yerkes with just three seconds left in the half. The Orange and Blue continued the scoring with Platshon's four-meter score at 5:06 of the third period, grabbing a 5-2 lead.
George Washington responded with two of its own to get it back to 5-4, but Roslyn and Ferring struck again before the quarter was over to give BU a 7-4 advantage entering the final frame.
With 5:16 left in the contest, Anthony Guadagni got GW within two with his first score of the game, but Bucknell again came back with three unanswered to put the game out of reach.
Ferring ended the game with three goals and two assists. Platshon was solid all around, scoring twice, assisting on one goal, and grabbing six steals.
Sophomore Trevor Mullins made five saves in net for Bucknell.
The Bison improve to 9-18 overall. BU will compete at the Eastern Championship on Saturday and Sunday, November 15-16. George Washington, which will also advance to Eastern's, falls to 9-15.
GEORGE WASHINGTON 1 1 2 2 -- 6 BUCKNELL 1 3 3 3 -- 10
Goal (Assist) G-B
First Quarter
G - Koenemann (four-meter), 2:56 1-0
B - Afzal (Platshon), 0:59 1-1
Second Quarter
B - Danforth (Weborg), 4:51 1-2
G - Koenemann (unassisted), 2:27 2-2
B - Roslyn (unassisted), 0:31 2-3
B - Ferring (Yerkes), 0:03 2-4
Third Quarter
B - Platshon (four-meter), 5:06 2-5
G - Lo (Grimes), 4:05 3-5
G - Woodbury (Doitel), 3:13 4-5
B - Roslyn (Ferring), 1:49 4-6
B - Ferring (Mullins), 1:17 4-7
Fourth Quarter
G - Guadagni (Doitel), 5:16 5-7
B - Ferring (unassisted), 2:56 5-8
B - Platshon (Weborg), 2:20 5-9
B - Danforth (Ferring), 0:46 5-10
G - Hornberger (Guadagni), 0:10 6-10
GEORGE WASHINGTON BREAKDOWN: Goals - Koenemann 2, Guadagni, Woodbury, Hornberger, Lo. Assists - Doitel 2, Guadagni, Grimes.
BUCKNELL BREAKDOWN: Goals - Ferring 3, Roslyn 2, Platshon 2, Danforth 2, Afzal. Assists - Ferring 2, Weborg 2, Mullins, Yerkes, Platshon.
Shots: George Washington 18. Bucknell 22.
Steals: George Washington 9. Bucknell 13.
Goalie Saves: George Washington (Blick) 8. Bucknell (Mullins) 5.
Ejections Drawn: George Washington 4. Bucknell 7.
Team Records: George Washington 9-15. Bucknell 9-18.
