Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
#12 Princeton
Capacity Crowd Watches Bucknell Men's Water Polo Defeat No. 12 Princeton 11-6
10/17/2008 8:00:00 AM | Men's Water Polo
Oct. 17, 2008
Schedule/Results of Weekend Games at Kinney Natatorium
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Playing at Kinney Natatorium for the first time in more than a year, the Bucknell men's water polo team put on a show for the standing-room-only crowd that cheered it on. The Bison easily defeated No. 12 Princeton by an 11-6 score, marking its first win over a squad ranked as high as No. 12 since defeating the then-12th-ranked Tigers in 2005.
Bucknell (10-10, 2-2 CWPA Southern Division) scored six consecutive goals at one point in the second half, and limited Princeton (8-8, 3-1 CWPA Southern Division) to just one goal in a stretch of nearly 23 minutes spanning from the first quarter to the final minutes of play. Goalie Nick Donahue (Brooklyn, N.Y./Lawrenceville) was instrumental in the strong defensive effort as he recorded a career-high 14 saves while playing all 32 minutes. He saw his season save total jump to 103, more than twice the total from his first two seasons.
Richie Hyden (Melbourne, Australia/Greenwich (Conn.)) led Bucknell on the offensive end with three goals and two assists, his 10th game with at least five points this season, while Andrew Nelson (Palos Verdes, Calif./Palos Verdes) and Johnny Stupp (St. Louis, Mo./Mary Institute) contributed two goals and an assist apiece.
The two teams played to a 2-2 tie through the first quarter, but it was then a save by Donahue midway through the second quarter that got the Bison going. Brendan Colgan attempted a penalty shot that Donahue turned away. He then made a save on Princeton's next possession and ignited a fast break with a strong outlet pass to Stupp, who scored to put the Bison up 3-2. That lead eventually ballooned to 10-3 late in the fourth quarter.
Princeton, which scored three of its first four goals and four overall in six-on-five situations, added three goals in the final two minutes to cut the final deficit to five.
Bucknell tallied three six-on-five goals of its own, including an unassisted one by Sean Coghlan (Chicago, Ill./Brother Rice) that gave the Bison their largest advantage of the game.
This is the second consecutive year Bucknell has defeated Princeton on a Friday night in front of a capacity crowd at Kinney Natatorium. Last season the Bison snapped a 1-22 stretch against the Tigers with a thrilling sudden-victory overtime win. Bucknell then went 2-1 against Princeton the rest of the year, and this was the first meeting this season. The Bison now own a 4-1 record opposite the Tigers over their last five meetings.
Princeton's loss to Bucknell marked the first time it has lost to an unranked foe this season. The Bison improved to 3-10 against ranked opponents with No. 17 Navy on Sunday's schedule.
The Bison will have four more games this weekend, including three league contests. They will play George Washington (12:30 p.m.) and Mercyhurst (7 p.m.) Saturday and then host Johns Hopkins (11 a.m.) and Navy (4:30 p.m.) Sunday. Both of Sunday's contests will have a live internet video broadcast available through Bison Vision. Additionally, prior to Sunday's game with Navy, Bucknell's three seniors will be honored as part of Senior Day festivities.
PRINCETON 2 0 1 3 -6
BUCKNELL 2 2 3 4 -11
Goals: Hyden (3), Nelson (2), Stupp (2), Coghlan, Heiber, Ang, Lampley.
Assists: Hyden (2), Ang (2), Nelson, Caillouette, Stupp, Donahue.
Ejections Drawn: Hyden (2), Stupp (2), Lampley.
Saves: Donahue (14 svs., 6 ga., 32:00 min.).
Steals: Kalter (2), Ang (2), Donahue (2), Lampley, Hyden.
Sprints: Hyden (2-2), Stupp (1-2).
Record: 10-10, 2-2 CWPA Southern Division
