Bucknell University
Johns Hopkins
No. 20 Bucknell Men's Water Polo Earns Berth in Eastern Championship
10/30/2004 8:00:00 AM | Men's Water Polo
Oct. 30, 2004
PRINCETON, N.J. - The Bucknell men's water polo team split its games against Johns Hopkins and Princeton at the Southern Championships Saturday, but that was enough for the Bison to qualify for the Eastern Championships which will be held at Kinney Natatorium in two weeks. Bucknell, ranked 20th in the country, defeated the Blue Jays 12-8 in the first game of the day, while the Bison dropped an 8-4 decision to the 12th-ranked Tigers in the nightcap.
Bucknell, which will play in the third-place game Sunday versus the loser of Saturday night's Navy-Salem International game, will be aiming for its fourth third-place finish at the conference championships in the last five years. The top-four finishers at the event automatically qualify for the Eastern Championships, which will take place Nov. 13-14 at Bucknell's Kinney Natatorium.
In the opener against Johns Hopkins, the Bison used a four-goal second quarter to take a 5-3 lead into halftime. After playing the Blue Jays even in the third quarter, Bucknell scored five goals in the final seven minutes to post its second win over Johns Hopkins, which is ranked fourth in Division III, this season.
A balanced offensive attack saw eight different Bison score goals with Josh Sunday netting a team-high three scores. Elliot Benoist and Nick Ferring added two apiece to round out the list of multiple-goal scorers. Ferring also contributed a pair of assists as Bucknell recorded assists on six of its 12 goals.
On the defensive side of the pool Kyle Roslyn had a team-high four steals, while Trevor Mullins made a career-high 17 saves in goal. His previous high was a 14-save performance against Salem International two weeks ago. He now has 202 saves this season, just 51 stops shy of a place on Bucknell's single season top-10 list.
In the second game of the day against Princeton, a team the Bison have faced each of the last three weekends, a berth in the championship game was on the line. However, Princeton limited Bucknell to just two first-half goals and advanced with the 10-4 victory. Bucknell has played in the championship game just 10 times in program history, with the last coming in 1998.
Trevor Mullins again had an impressive showing against the powerful Princeton squad by making 10 saves.
The offense was led by Kyle Roslyn who tallied three of the four goals. Aaron Platshon, who sat out Friday's game with Washington & Jefferson with an injury, made his return to the pool and scored the other goal. Bradley Roslyn, Platshon and Jay Danforth each tallied a single assist.
Bucknell will play its final game of the weekend in an attempt to capture third place Sunday morning at 10:50 a.m. The squad will take on the loser of Saturday's Navy-Salem International contest. The Bison were 2-0 against Salem during the regular season, while Navy held a 2-1 advantage in three meetings this year.
GAME 1
JOHNS HOPKINS 2 1 2 3 -- 8
BUCKNELL 1 4 2 5 -- 12
Goals: Sunday (3), Benoist (2), Ferring (2), B. Roslyn, Robinson, K. Roslyn, Platshon, Danforth.
Assists: Ferring (2), B. Roslyn (2), Mullins, Rechel.
Ejections Drawn: Sunday, Platshon.
Saves: Mullins (17 svs., 8 ga).
Steals: K. Roslyn (4), B. Roslyn, Benoist.
Record: 15-11
GAME 2
PRINCETON 3 1 3 3 -- 10
BUCKNELL 1 1 0 2 -- 4
Goals: K. Roslyn (3), Platshon.
Assists: B. Roslyn, Platshon, Danforth.
Ejections Drawn: Platshon, Sunday, Rechel.
Saves: Mullins (10 svs., 10 ga).
Steals: Benoist, B. Roslyn, Sunday, Danforth, Rechel.
Record: 15-12
