Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
No. 19 Princeton (ECAC Championship)
Bucknell Women's Water Polo Falls in ECAC Championship Game to No. 19 Princeton, 9-6
4/2/2006 8:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo
April 2, 2006
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The second-seeded Bucknell women's water polo team cut its deficit to one goal after building an early three-goal deficit against top seed and No. 19 in the nation Princeton Sunday afternoon in the championship game of the ECAC Championship, but fell to the Tigers 9-6. The second-place showing is the best-ever for the Bison, who finished fifth last season.
Bucknell (19-6) trailed 4-1 at the end of the first quarter, but battled back by shutting out Princeton (14-5) in the second quarter to go into halftime trailing just 4-3. However, the Tigers outscored the Bison 3-0 in the third quarter. Bucknell battled with three more scores in the fourth quarter, but could not draw even.
Meagan Gins (Albuquerque, N.M./Valley) led the Bison with three goals as she moved into fifth place on Bucknell's single-season goals list with 58. She is also fifth on the single-season points list with 83. Laura Stalker (New Canaan, Conn./Choate Rosemary), Amanda Barto (Newport Beach, Calif./Newport Harbor) and Elizabeth Jensen (San Mateo, Calif./St. Ignatius Prep) each added single goals. Jensen also tallied a pair of assists to bring her season total to a career-high 36. that figure is tied for fourth on the Bison single-season list.
Mandy Bynum (San Jose, Calif./Leland) made eight saves in goal for Bucknell, which saw its seven-game winning streak come to an end.
The Bison are now 0-3 against the Tigers this season, but the games have been decided by a total of four points.
Bucknell's previous best finish in the ECAC Championship was a fifth-place showing in 1999 that was matched last year when the event was held at Kinney Natatorium.
Princeton has now won the ECAC Championship in six of the last eight years.
The Bison will wrap up league play next Saturday, April 8, when they travel to George Washington and Maryland. The contest with the Colonials will be at 1:30 p.m., while the one against the Terrapins will be at 5 p.m. Bucknell defeated both those teams yesterday to earn its position in today's championship game.
ECAC Championship Game
BUCKNELL 4 0 3 2 -9
PRINCETON 1 2 0 3 -6
Goals: Gins (3), Stalker, Barto, Jensen.
Assists: Jensen (2), Eckert, Nogic, Sullivan.
Ejections Drawn: Swoyer (3), Gins (2), Trimis, Jensen, Nogic.
Saves: Bynum (8 svs., 9 ga., 28:00 min.)
Steals: Trimis (2), Kingerski, Sullivan.
Sprints: Jensen (2-3), Rowe (0-1).
Record: 19-6
