Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Brown (ECAC Championship)
Bucknell Women's Water Polo Splits Pair at ECAC Championships
4/2/2005 7:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo
April 2, 2005
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Meagan Gins scored four goals and Mandy Bynum made 11 saves as the Bucknell women's water polo team defeated George Washington 9-5 to rebound from an earlier 6-4 loss to Brown during the first day of the ECAC Championships at Kinney Natatorium Saturday.
The Bison will face Wagner at 10:30 a.m. Sunday morning for fifth place in the eight-team field.
Gins helped lead a 6-0 Bison run against the Colonials with three of her goals during that span as Bucknell (16-8) held George Washington (10-11) without a goal for 17:17. After scoring the first goal of the game less than 90 seconds into the contest, the Colonials did not score again until 2:17 remained in the third quarter.
Meg Blitzer, who with four goals and three assists in the two games increased her career point total to 251, just six shy of tying Adrienne Schober's school record, and Elizabeth Jensen each tallied two goals against George Washington. Jessica Trimis' one goal rounded out the scoring, which saw consistency from Bucknell. The Bison scored two goals in the first, third and fourth quarters, and three in the second.
Bynum led the Bucknell defense, which after allowing three goals in the opening period to Brown did not allow either the Bears or Colonials to score more than once in each of the next six quarters until George Washington netted three with the game already decided in the final stanza. Bynum increased her season save total to 161. She has given up just 108 goals.
In the first game of the day against Brown, Bucknell allowed the Bears to score three goals in the first four minutes of the game, but proceeded to outscore Brown over the final 24 minutes. However, it was not enough as the Bison fell to Brown 6-4
Three different Brown (9-7) players scored goals within a two-minute stretch in the first quarter to stake the visiting Bears to a 3-0 lead they would never relinquish as the Bison could not draw closer than two goals the rest of the game.
Blitzer, who had a team-high two goals for Bucknell, got the Bison on the board with 2:53 left in the first quarter when she converted a penalty shot to narrow the score to 3-1.
Bucknell's defense, which limited Brown to 17 shots and tallied eight steals, including two from Blitzer, kept the game close, but its offense only managed one goal in each quarter.
Trimis and Cody Keffer netted Bucknell's other two goals. Keffer's came in the second quarter, while Trimis scored her 11th goal of the season in the fourth. Jensen, who led the team with two assists, and Blitzer, accounted for Bucknell's three assists.
Bynum made six saves in goal for the Bison.
Brown has defeated Bucknell in the first round of the ECAC Championships two consecutive years. The Bears upended the Bison 11-5 last year in Providence, R.I.
Bucknell's victory over George Washington helped the Bison equal last year's victory total. They are just two shy of equaling the 2001 squad's school record of 18.
Bucknell will be back in the pool at 10:30 a.m. Sunday morning against Wagner for fifth place in the ECAC Championships. The Bison finished seventh at last year's ECAC Championships.
Game 1
BROWN 3 1 1 1 -- 6
BUCKNELL 1 1 1 1 -- 4
Goals: Blitzer (2), Keffer, Trimis.
Assists: Jensen (2), Blitzer.
Ejections Drawn: Blitzer (3), Gins (2), Sullivan (2), Trimis.
Saves: Bynum (6 svs., 6 ga)
Steals: Blitzer (2), Keffer, Aiken, Jensen, Nogic, Gins, Bynum.
Record: 15-8
Game 2
GEORGE WASHINGTON 1 0 1 3 -- 5
BUCKNELL 2 3 2 2 -- 9
Goals: Gins (4), Blitzer (2), Jensen (2), Trimis.
Assists: Blitzer (2), Ketterer, Keffer, Eckert, Nogic, Gins.
Ejections Drawn: Gins (2), Keffer, Aiken, Swoyer.
Saves: Bynum (11 svs., 5 ga)
Steals: Keffer (2), Hartigan (2), Blitzer (2), Sullivan (2), Bynum, Ketterer, Nogic, Stalker.
Record: 16-8
