Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
#10 St. Francis (NY)
Bucknell Falls to No. 10 St. Francis (N.Y.), 11-7, to Finish Fourth at Men's Water Polo Eastern Championship
11/12/2006 7:00:00 AM | Men's Water Polo
Nov. 12, 2006
PRINCETON, N.J. - Randy Ang (Hillsborough, Calif./Sacred Heart) scored three goals and Mark Masterson (Kihei, Hawaii/Marin) added a pair, but the No. 18 Bucknell men's water polo team could not upset No. 10 St. Francis as the Terriers defeated the Bison 11-7 Sunday afternoon at DeNunzio Pool in the Eastern Championship. Bucknell finished fourth in the eight-team field for the second consecutive season.
The Bison, who completed their 2006 campaign with a 15-13 record, finished above .500 for the second time in three years, and just the second time since 2000 despite playing a challenging schedule that featured 15 ranked foes.
Bucknell played St. Francis tough for the third time this year as it trailed just 5-4 at halftime, but the Terriers outscored the Bison 3-0 in the third quarter to take a commanding 8-4 advantage heading into the final period.
Ang and Masterson combined for five goals and one assist, while Chet Eimstad (Portland, Ore./Beaverton) contributed a pair of assists.
Masterson moved into a tie with Brad Roslyn and Kevin Permisohn for 10th on the Bison single-steals list with two in his final college game. He totaled a team-high 53 steals this year, including eight at the Eastern Championship.
Bucknell lost all three of its meetings to St. Francis this year by a total of six points. The Terriers were the 2005 Eastern Championship winner and advanced to the NCAA Championship.
Masterson and Sean Robinson (San Marino, Calif./San Marino) played their final games in Orange and Blue as the Bison equaled their best showing at the Eastern Championship since a second-place finish in 1993.
Navy and Princeton squared off Sunday afternoon in the title game of the Eastern Championship. The winner received an automatic berth into the NCAA Championship.
BUCKNELL 2 2 0 3 -7
ST. FRANCIS 3 2 3 3 -11
Goals: Ang (3), Masterson (2), Robinson, Rechel.
Assists: Eimstad (2), Masterson, Rechel, Anderson.
Ejections Drawn: Lampley (3), Robinson, Rechel, Sunday.
Saves: Belenky (8 svs., 11 ga., 32:00 min.).
Steals: Masterson (2), Robinson, Heiber, Sunday, Doyle.
Sprints: Rechel (2-4).
Record: 15-13
