Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
#20 Brown
Bucknell Women's Water Polo Falls to No. 20 Brown, 9-8, to Finish Sixth at Eastern Championship
4/27/2008 8:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo
April 27, 2008
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Despite two goals apiece from Shana Palencia (Glendale, Calif./Hoover), Valentina Rozas (Pico Rivera, Calif./El Rancho) and Aubrey Rowe (Carlisle, Pa./Cumberland Valley), the fourth-seeded Bucknell women's water polo team lost 9-8 to No. 20 and seventh-seeded Brown Sunday afternoon at the Eastern Championship. The Bison's sixth-place finish at the event is the second-best in program history.
Bucknell led 3-2 after the first quarter, but was outscored 6-1 in the middle two frames. It then outscored the Bears (16-15), a team they lost to 9-8 in overtime during the regular season, 4-1 in the final quarter, but it was a little too late.
Haley Prickett (Newport Beach, Calif./Corona del Mar) and Meagan Gins (Albuquerque, N.M./Valley) rounded out the Bucknell scoring with one goal apiece, but the Bison were able to manage just one assist on their eight goals, with that coming from Rowe.
Gins was whistled for her third ejection of the game in the third quarter, meaning Bucknell was forced to play the final quarter without the program's all-time leading scorer.
While the Bison offense, which averages nearly 11 goals a game and was 4-for-14 in six-on-five opportunities, was not operating at peak efficiency, the defense was able to accumulate 17 steals. Goalie Alison Carter (Costa Mesa, Calif./Newport Harbor) led the way with five steals to go along with her four saves, while Palencia and Kandis Canonica (Burlingame, Calif./St. Ignatius Prep) had three thefts apiece.
Gins and fellow senior Jennifer Swoyer (Erie, Pa./McDowell) played the final game of their careers. That duo led the Bison to an impressive 87-47 (.649) record over their four years. Gins will graduate with the program record for career goals (237) and points (351), while her career assist total of 115 ranks third. Swoyer closed her career with 79 goals and 49 assists.
After tallying four goals, one assist and three steals in Bucknell's three games at the Eastern Championship, Rozas was named to the Eastern Championship All-Tournament First Team. The CWPA Southern Division Player of the Year was one of just four players from the Southern Division to be honored.
Michigan won the Eastern Championship title with a 10-7 win over Hartwick in Sunday's championship game. The Wolverines, who were the host for the event, will represent the CWPA in next month's NCAA Championship.
Bucknell concluded its season with a 26-10 record, setting the program record for victories. The Bison also set team records in nearly every offensive and defensive category. Each of their final six losses were by one goal, while seven of their 10 losses overall were to ranked opponents.
BUCKNELL 3 0 1 4 -8
BROWN 2 4 2 1 -9
Goals: Palencia (2), Rozas (2), Rowe (2), Gins, Prickett.
Assists: Rowe.
Ejections Drawn: Allen (6), Gins (4), Rozas, Rowe.
Saves: Carter (4 svs., 9 ga., 32:00 min.).
Steals: Carter (5), Palencia (3), Canonica (3), Prickett (2), Allen (2), Rowe (2).
Sprints: Rowe (1-1), Canonica (1-1), Allen (1-1), Palencia (1-1).
Bucknell Record: 26-10
