Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
#7 (D-III) Whittier (Claremont Convergence)
Bucknell Men's Water Polo Opens West Coast Trip with 11-3 Victory over Whittier
10/6/2006 8:00:00 AM | Men's Water Polo
Oct. 6, 2006
CLAREMONT, Calif. - Playing its first of six games in California this weekend, the Bucknell men's water polo team got off to a good start with an 11-3 victory over Whittier Friday afternoon on the first day of the Claremont Convergence. Mark Masterson (Kihei, Hawaii/Marin) scored a career-high six goals to pace the Bison offense.
The Poets played the Bison tough as Bucknell, which is ranked 17th in the nation, led just 5-3 at the end of three quarters. However, the Bison outscored Whittier, which is ranked seventh in the Division III poll, 6-0 in the final period to improve to 8-6 on the season.
Masterson became the first Bucknell player since 2001 to score as many as six goals in a game. Ryan McCarty, who is 11th on the Bison career scoring list, netted seven goals in an 11-9 victory over Johns Hopkins in November of 2001. Masterson's previous career high was four goals, which he has tallied three times in his two-year Bucknell career.
Fellow senior Sean Robinson (San Marino, Calif./San Marino) dished out three assists and scored one goal, while Jason Rechel (Columbus, Ohio/Thomas Worthington) tallied four points with two goals and a pair of assists for the Bison.
Luke Belenky (Kensington, Md./German School) played a solid game in goal for Bucknell with a team-high four steals and seven saves. As a team the Bison garnered 11 steals despite playing without starters Kyle Roslyn (Philadelphia, Pa./William Penn Charter) and Gabriel Heiber (Aventura, Fla./Miami Beach).
Whittier fell to 3-10 with the loss.
Bucknell continues play at the Claremont Convergence Friday evening against Redlands. The Bulldogs are the top-ranked team in Division III and appear in the CWPA Top-20 national poll at No. 19. Redlands defeated the Bison 7-4 in the last meeting between the two teams in 2004.
WHITTIER 2 0 1 0 -3
BUCKNELL 2 2 1 6 -11
Goals: Masterson (6), Rechel (2), Robinson, Ang, Sunday.
Assists: Robinson (3), Rechel (2), Anderson, Schultz, Stupp.
Ejections Drawn: Robinson, Rechel, Anderson, Eimstad, Sunday.
Saves: Belenky (7 svs., 3 ga., 32:00 min.).
Steals: Belenky (4), Robinson, Masterson, Rechel, Anderson, Eimstad, Schultz, Stupp.
Sprints: Rechel (2-4).
Record: 8-6
