Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Women's Water Polo to Host Maryland and Nationally Ranked Princeton this Weekend
3/9/2006 7:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo
March 9, 2006
LEWISBURG, Pa. - For the final time this season, Kinney Natatorium will serve as the backdrop for a weekend of water polo as Maryland and No. 16 Princeton will face host Bucknell. The Bison will take on the Terps Friday at 7:30 p.m., shortly after the conclusion of the Bison men's basketball Patriot League Championship game in adjacent Sojka Pavilion. Saturday evening at 7:15 p.m. Bucknell will take on the nationally ranked Tigers.
Bucknell, which owns a 10-3 record this year, has already played league opponents Maryland and Princeton this season. The Bison won a 9-6 decision against the host Terps at the Maryland Invitational last month, while they lost at Princeton 6-5 last Saturday.
Freshman Aubrey Rowe (Carlisle, Pa./Cumberland Valley), sophomore Meagan Gins (Albuquerque, N.M./Valley) and junior Elizabeth Jensen (San Mateo, Calif./St. Ignatius Prep) have paced the Bucknell offense so far this season. Rowe, who earlier this year tied Bison single-game records with five assists and 10 points in a game, leads the team with 38 goals and 52 points. She has also contributed 14 assists to rank third on the squad. Just 13 games into her freshman campaign, Rowe is just 28 goals shy of the Bucknell single-season record and more than halfway to the points standard. In addition to her offensive show, Rowe has been stellar in other areas. She leads the team in steals (18), ejections drawn (21) and has won a team-best 20 of 26 sprints.
Gins, who last year finished second on the team behind Meg Blitzer with 48 goals, has already found the back of the net 28 times this year to stand second behind Rowe. She is also tied with Rowe for second on the squad with 14 assists, while her 42 points also stand second. Gins also lists second in steals (14) and ejections drawn (19) behind Rowe. With 76 career goals in just 46 career games, Gins already ranks ninth on Bucknell's career list, while her 103 career points list 11th.
Jensen is the third main offensive weapon for the Bison with 41 points on 21 goals and a team-high 20 assists. She posted five consecutive multiple-goal games prior to being held to just one goal in two games last Saturday. The three-year starter also owns six multiple-assist contests this year. Her goal total is already a new career high. With 128 career points the left-handed Jensen stands ninth on Bucknell's career points list.
Behind the offensive output from Rowe, Gins and Jensen, Bucknell has outscored its opponents 135-84, including 35-16 in the first quarter this season.
Junior goalkeeper Mandy Bynum (San Jose, Calif./Leland) has been the leader of the defense that has allowed at least 10 goals in a game just twice. A started in 12 games, Bynum has saved 70 shots and allowed just 72 goals. She currently has 586 career saves to rank second on the Bison all-time list and owns a .570 career save percentage.
Maryland enters Friday's meeting with Bucknell with a 9-3 record and having won four games in a row. Like the Bison, a freshman leads the Terps in scoring. Rachel Jordan has 22 goals and four assists for a team-high 26 points.
Princeton, which has been ranked all season, enters the weekend with an unblemished 10-0 mark and a No. 16 national ranking. The Tigers have outscored their opposition by a 100-36 margin.
Following this weekend's competition, Bucknell, which opened the season with an 8-1 record, the second-best in program history, will travel to California over spring break for seven total games.
Weekend Schedule
Friday, March 10
Bucknell vs. Maryland, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 11
No. 16 Princeton vs. Maryland, 12 p.m.
Bucknell "B" vs. Maryland "B", 1 p.m.
Bucknell vs. No. 16 Princeton, 7:15 p.m.
