Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
George Washington
Trimis' Goal with Four Seconds Left Lifts Bucknell Over George Washington
4/25/2004 8:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo
April 25, 2004
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Freshman Elizabeth Jensen found classmate Jessica Trimis for an extra-man goal with just four seconds remaining, giving the Bucknell women's water polo team a thrilling 7-6 victory over George Washington in the seventh place game of the Eastern Championship on Sunday, April 25. With the seventh place finish, the Bison recorded their highest-ever finish at Eastern's.
The Colonials, victorious over Bucknell three times already this season, gained momentum first when Kendra Shanley got a goal off of a restart just 22 seconds into the game. The Orange and Blue did not lose their composure, however, and junior Meg Blitzer came right back with the game-tying goal with less than two minutes gone in the quarter.
Taraneh Bastani gave George Washington the lead again with her extra-man goal, GW's only successful score in six man-up opportunities, with 4:29 left in the first. BU again responded, this time with a Cody Keffer goal with 2:46 and a score by Mallory Sullivan 32 seconds later to give the Bison a 3-2 lead they would carry into the second quarter.
Both team's defense stepped up for the first four minutes of the second before Elisabeth Schweitzer used the transition game to knot the contest 3-3 with 2:24 until halftime. Blitzer tallied BU's only score of the quarter with 1:47 left in the frame, taking advantage of another extra-man situation with a pass from Keffer. The two squads entered halftime in a 4-4 deadlock, though, after Kira Canon's score with 34 ticks left until the intermission.
It appeared as if the Colonials would take the lead when Canon was awarded a four-meter shot with 3:39 showing in the third, but her attempt hit the crossbar to keep the score tied at 4-4. Freshman Taylor Voeltz changed that with her man-up goal, one of five in eight attempts for the Orange and Blue, at 2:49 for the only score of the quarter.
Canon tied the game again with 5:24 left, and both offenses went silent for the next three minutes. The Bison finally made some noise with 2:02 remaining with a transition goal from Blitzer. Sullivan forced an impressive steal in BU's defensive end of the pool, and goalkeeper Mandy Bynum collected the ball and alertly found Blitzer ahead of the pack at the other end of the pool. The co-captain won the 1-on-1 battle with George Washington goalkeeper Amy Heinemann for the breakaway goal.
Shanley got her second of the game with just 1:43 to play, tying the contest for the fifth time at 6-6. Defensive stands by both teams set up the dramatic finish for Bucknell. After getting a much-needed stop, the Bison called timeout with possession of the ball, 32 seconds remaining, and a one-second shot clock differential. With nine seconds left on the shot clock and the score tied 6-6, Trimis drew an ejection on GW to allow the Orange and Blue to work for one final shot in an extra-man situation.
Bucknell wasted little time with the shot, scoring just six seconds later when Jensen found Trimis for the game-winner. The Colonials attempted a shot from mid-pool at the buzzer, but it bounced off the cage as time expired.
Bynum finished the game with a season-high 14 saves, and the rookie ended the season with a .560 save percentage for the highest single-season mark in program history.
The Bison finish the season at 16-18 overall, and seventh in the Eastern Championship. George Washington is 18-13 overall.
GEORGE WASHINGTON 2 2 0 2 -- 6 BUCKNELL 3 1 1 2 -- 7
GEORGE WASHINGTON BREAKDOWN: Goals - Canon 2, Shanley 2, Schweitzer, Bastani. Assists - Fravel 2, Shanley, Bastani, Hooker.
BUCKNELL BREAKDOWN: Goals - Blitzer 3, Keffer, Voeltz, Trimis, Sullivan. Assists - Jensen 2, Keffer, Hofstetter, Bynum.
Shots: George Washington 28. Bucknell 17.
Steals: George Washington 7. Bucknell 4.
Ejections Drawn: George Washington 6. Bucknell 8.
Saves: George Washington (Heinemann) 7. Bucknell (Bynum) 14.
Team Records: George Washington 18-13. Bucknell 16-18.
