Bucknell University
#1 California
Bucknell Men's Water Polo Splits Pair on First Day of Navy Open
9/7/2008 8:00:00 AM | Men's Water Polo
Sept. 6, 2008
ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Richie Hyden (Melbourne, Australia/Greenwich) totaled seven goals and five assists on the day, including a five-goal, four-assist performance against Fordham, as the Bucknell men's water polo team opened its 2008 campaign splitting a pair of games on the first day of the Navy Open Saturday. The Bison lost to two-time defending national champion and preseason No. 1 California 18-6. They bounced back from that defeat with a commanding 16-8 victory against Fordham.
Bucknell (1-1) held its own early against Cal as it trailed 9-5 at halftime, but the young Bison squad was outscored 9-1 in the second half. It is the fifth consecutive season Bucknell has played the Bears at the event and the Bison had drawn closer each year leading up to an 11-7 defeat last season.
Hyden led the way with two goals and one assist against the Bears, while four other veteran Bucknell players had a single goal.
The Bison goalies - Miles Gilhuly (Orinda, Calif./Miramonte) and Nick Donahue (Brooklyn, N.Y./Lawrenceville) - split time in goal in both games with Donahue playing the first half each time and Gilhuly relieving him in the second stanza. Both players made two saves and allowed nine goals in 16 minutes of playing time against Cal, while they matched each other again with six saves apiece opposite Fordham.
In that matchup with the Rams, Bucknell jumped out to an 8-5 halftime advantage and coasted to the 16-8 victory as 13 of its goals came in the final three periods. Hyden's five goals were one shy of his career high, while his four assists were a new career high. His nine points were more than any Bison had in a game in 2007.
A total of eight Bucknell players netted goals against Fordham as Andrew Nelson (Palos Verdes, Calif./Palos Verdes), Randy Ang (Hillsborough, Calif./Sacred Heart Prep) Gabriel Heiber (Caracas, Venezuela/Miami Beach) and Johnny Stupp (St. Louis, Mo./Mary Institute) had two goals apiece. Returning Bucknell players accounted for 21 of the 22 Bison goals in the two games Saturday.
Bucknell will wrap up play at the Navy Open on Sunday with a pair of games. It will take on Queens at 9:50 a.m. and Iona at 3:40 p.m.
Game 1
BUCKNELL 3 2 1 0 -6
CALIFORNIA 3 6 4 5 -18
Goals: Hyden (2), Coghlan, Heiber, Ang, Stupp.
Assists: Coghlan, Hyden, Ang, Stupp.
Ejections Drawn: Coghlan, Heiber, Hyden, Kalter, Schwartz, Lampley.
Saves: Donahue (2 svs., 9 ga., 16:00 min.), Gilhuly (2 svs., 9 ga., 16:00 min.).
Steals: Ang (2), Lovell, Hyden, Lampley, Gilhuly, Donahue.
Sprints: Hyden (2-3), Stupp (0-1).
Record: 0-1
Game 2
BUCKNELL 3 5 4 4 -16
FORDHAM 3 2 2 1 -8
Goals: Hyden (5), Nelson (2), Ang (2), Stupp (2), Heiber (2), Coghlan, Reamey, Lampley.
Assists: Hyden (4), Kalter (3), Ang (3), Gilhuly (2), Caillouette, Stupp.
Ejections Drawn: Heiber (3), Lampley (2), Coghlan, Caillouette, Hyden, Stupp.
Saves: Donahue (6 svs., 5 ga., 16:00 min.), Gilhuly (6 svs., 3 ga., 16:00 min.).
Steals: Stupp (2), Richley, Fiske.
Sprints: Hyden (2-2), Stupp (0-2).
Record: 1-1
