Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Women's Water Polo Opens Home League Schedule this Weekend
3/27/2008 8:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo
March 27, 2008
LEWISBURG, Pa. - After sprinting to an impressive 18-4 record in non-conference play, the Bucknell women's water polo team opens its league schedule this weekend with four key games at Kinney Natatorium. The Bison will host league foes Princeton, George Washington and Maryland, as well as non-league opponent St. Francis (N.Y.).
Friday night's game against No. 16 Princeton and Sunday afternoon's contest opposite Maryland will both have live video broadcasts available through BucknellBison.com and SportsJuice.com for a small subscription fee. Doug Birdsong will handle play-by-play duties for both contests. Bison men's water polo players Jason Rechel and Kyle Roslyn are expected to join him in the booth on Friday.
Bucknell Women's Water Polo Notebook (18-4, 0-0 CWPA)
Bucknell Notes
• Bucknell has been out of the national rankings the last two weeks after four consecutive weeks among the Top 20. The Bison have been ranked as high as No. 19 this year.
• Bucknell's 18-4 record is the best mark after 22 games in program history. The Bison are just five wins shy of tying the program record that was established in 2005 and matched in 2006.
• First-year interim head coach John Abdou has led the Bison to 18 wins this year. That figure is more than any first-year head coach in program history. John Zeigler, who won 16 games his first year in 2000, had held the standard.
• Bucknell has a very good chance to play more games this season than any other year in program history. The Bison record for games played is 34 in 2004 and 2005. This year's team is guaranteed nine regular-season games and two contests in the Southern Championships. If the squad qualifies for the Eastern Championship, that is three more games, bringing the season total to 36.
• Bucknell's six-person freshman class has been key to the team's success this season, with Kandis Canonica producing the most on the offensive end. The Burlingame, Calif., native leads the team with 45 assists and 79 points this year. The 45 assists rank third on the Bison single-season list, just 13 behind Adrienne Schober's record that has stood since 2001. Canonica is one point short of showing up on the single-season points list, and is 24 shy of Meagan Gins' record of 103 that she established in 2006.
• Sophomore Valentina Rozas leads the Bison with 49 goals, equaling her total from last year. That figure ranks 15th nationally. No one else on the squad has more than 36 goals.
• Bucknell enters the weekend with five players having netted at least 30 goals this season. Last year, only three players registered at least 30 goals. The 2002 campaign was the last time more than three players posted at least 30 goals, while the 2000 team had six players with at least 40 goals.
• Junior Aubrey Rowe enters the weekend with 199 career points. With her next point she will become the eighth Bison to register at least 200 points.
• Bucknell brings a four-game winning streak into this weekend. It is the third time it has had a winning streak of at least four games this season.
• With 260 goals this season, Bucknell has already eclipsed its goal total from all of last year. The Bison netted 258 goals last spring for an average of 8.1 per game. This year they are averaging 11.8 and have tallied double figures in 15 of their 18 wins. Bucknell has failed to reach double figures in each of its four losses.
• Princeton, which is ranked No. 16 in the nation, will be the sixth ranked opponent for Bucknell this season. The Bison are 1-4 in those contests, having defeated then-No. 18 Indiana 18-10 at last month's Princeton Invitational.
• Bucknell will face each of its three CWPA Southern Division opponents (Princeton, George Washington, Maryland) this weekend. Those three teams will be back at Kinney Natatorium next month for the Southern Championships.
• With Sunday's game marking the final regular-season home contest, Bucknell will recognize seniors Meagan Gins and Jennifer Swoyer prior to the game against Maryland.
Career Record Watch
• Meagan Gins: 1st in career points (313), 1st in career goals (216), 3rd in career assists (97), 9th in career steals (128), 1st in career ejections drawn (244), 1st in career shots (522), 8th in career games played (118), 3rd in career games started (115)
• Shana Palencia: 6th in sprints won (27)
• Aubrey Rowe: 8th in career points (199), 8th in career goals (123), 7th in career assists (76), 5th in career ejections drawn (89), 5th in career sprints won (41), 8th in career shots (282), 10th in career games started (72)
• Valentina Rozas: t-2nd in career ejections drawn (110)
• Jennifer Swoyer: t-8th in career ejections drawn (74), 10th in career games played (101)
• Alison Carter: 4th in career saves (179)
• Rachel McGillis: 5th in career saves (89)
Bucknell vs. Weekend Opponents
• Bucknell vs. Princeton: 0-22 (each of last six meetings decided by three goals or less)
• Bucknell vs. George Washington: 17-12 (Bucknell 13-game winning streak dating to 2004)
• Bucknell vs. St. Francis (N.Y.): 1-1 (Played in 2002 and 2006)
• Bucknell vs. Maryland: 14-6 (Maryland three-game winning streak)
2008 Bucknell Weekly Honors
• CWPA Southern Division Player of the Week:
- Valentina Rozas (2/11, 2/18, 3/3)
• Damon's Bison Athlete of the Week:
- Valentina Rozas (2/11, 3/3)
Up Next
• Bucknell will hit the road for two games next Saturday, April 5. The Bison will play Princeton (12 p.m.) and Brown (5:30 p.m.) at Princeton's DeNunzio Pool.
Weekend Women's Water Polo Schedule at Kinney Natatorium
Friday, March 28
Bucknell (18-4) vs. No. 16 Princeton (12-8), 7:30 p.m. (Live Video - SportsJuice.com)
Saturday, March 29
Bucknell (18-4) vs. George Washington (7-12), 12 p.m.
Bucknell (18-4) vs. St. Francis (N.Y.) (7-5), 3 p.m.
Maryland (17-8) vs. St. Francis (N.Y.) (7-5), 6:30 p.m.
Sunday, March 30
Bucknell (18-4) vs. Maryland (17-8), 12 p.m. (Live Video - SportsJuice.com)
