Bucknell University
George Washington (Southern Championships)
Bucknell Women's Water Polo Advances to Title Game of Southern Championships
4/23/2005 8:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo
April 23, 2005
Complete Southern Championship Results
LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell women's water polo team used a pair of strong defensive efforts to win both its games at the Southern Championships at Kinney Natatorium Saturday to advance to its first-ever title game. The second-seeded Bison tallied 12 steals, and Mandy Bynum made 11 saves, as they defeated third-seeded George Washington 4-2 in the opener. Bucknell clinched its position in Sunday's championship game with a 10-2 victory over fourth-seeded Maryland that featured a season-high 18 steals by its defense.
Bucknell (22-8), which has now won seven games in a row, and 11 of its last 12, will face top-seeded and 15th-ranked Princeton in Sunday's title contest at 11:30 a.m. at Kinney Natatorium. By earning a spot in the championship, the Bison are guaranteed to have their best-ever finish in the Southern Championships. Third-place showings in 2000 and 2004 were the previous best. Bucknell also ran its record to 4-0 against both the Colonials and Terrapins this season with their victories Saturday, but are 0-2 against the Tigers.
The Bison defense was the key in the first game against George Washington as their offense scored the fewest goals in a win it had all season. Amanda Nogic led the way with four steals, while Katie Hartigan, Meg Blitzer and Meagan Gins each had two.
After playing the first quarter to a 0-0 deadlock, Bucknell finally broke the ice with three goals in the second period. Jessica Trimis scored a pair less than two minutes apart, and Blitzer added one as well.
Neither team scored in the third quarter, but George Washington opened the fourth with a goal in the opening minute to trim its deficit to 3-1. However, less than a minute later Blitzer fired a shot that the Colonials' goalie deflected to Laura Stalker. Stalker, who gained possession of the ball just a few feet in front of the goal, swam the ball in for the score.
George Washington added another goal in the final two minutes, but it was not enough as the Bison held on for the victory.
The defense again dominated in the nightcap, although Bucknell's offense did register 10 goals, including four in the first quarter.
Nine different Bison had at least one steal against Maryland, with Blitzer leading the way with four. Nogic brought her daily tally to seven with three more against the Terps. Hartigan, Kat Eckert, Sadie Abuhoff and Mallory Sullivan collected two steals apiece. The 18 steals by the team equaled its season high of 18 set opposite the same Maryland squad two weeks ago.
Bucknell's defense was so strong it limited Maryland to just six first-half shots and called upon its goalies, Bynum and Katie Colgan, to make just two saves apiece. Bynum started and played the first half, while Colgan relieved her after halftime with the Bison leading 6-0.
Blitzer and Cody Keffer jumpstarted the Bucknell offense early in the game as Keffer scored two goals and assisted on another within the first five minutes of the first quarter. Blitzer registered one of her team-high three goals in the first quarter. She also added one of her two assists in the first seven minutes of play as the Bison led 4-0 at the end of the first. They extended that advantage out to 9-0 in the third quarter before Maryland finally got on the board with 42 seconds left in the third period.
Each team added a goal in the fourth quarter as many of Bucknell's reserves played a majority of the final period. Adrienne Fischer was able to score her eighth goal of the season on a pass from Margot Grant to wrap up the scoring for the Bison with 6:35 left on the clock. Nogic, Kat Eckert, Elizabeth Jensen and Mallory Sullivan also scored one goal each to round out the list of scorers for Bucknell.
With the victory over Maryland Bucknell clinched an automatic berth into the Eastern Championships, to be held next weekend in Bloomington, Ind. The top two teams from the Southern, Northern and Western Championships qualify for the eight-team Easterns field. Two at-large squads from those divisions are also selected.
Bucknell and Princeton will square off Sunday morning at 11:30 a.m. at Kinney Natatorium in the title contest. The third-place game between George Washington and Maryland will be at 10 a.m. The two-day event wraps up with the fourth-place game at 1 p.m.
Game 1
GEORGE WASHINGTON 0 0 0 2 -- 2
BUCKNELL 0 3 0 1 -- 4
Goals: Trimis (2), Blitzer, Stalker.
Assists: Bynum, Jensen, Sullivan
Ejections Drawn: Gins (2), Keffer, Trimis, Hartigan, Blitzer, Jensen.
Saves: Bynum (11 svs., 2 ga)
Steals: Nogic (4), Hartigan (2), Blitzer (2), Gins (2), Keffer, Jensen
Record: 21-8
Game 2
MARYLAND 0 0 1 1 -- 2
BUCKNELL 4 2 3 1 -- 10
Goals: Blitzer (3), Keffer (2), Eckert, Jensen, Nogic, Fischer, Sullivan.
Assists: Keffer (2), Blitzer (2), Trimis, Eckert, Nogic, Grant.
Ejections Drawn: Fischer (2), Gins (2), Nogic.
Saves: Bynum (2 svs., 0 ga, 14 minutes), Colgan (2 sav., 2 ga, 14 minutes)
Steals: Blitzer (4), Nogic (3), Hartigan (2), Eckert (2), Abuhoff (2), Sullivan (2), Trimis, Gins, Grant.
Record: 22-8
