Bucknell University
Colorado State
Six-Goal Third Quarter Helps Bucknell Women's Water Polo to First Victory of Season, 11-8 Over Colorado State
1/25/2009 7:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo
Jan. 25, 2009
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Shana Palencia (Glendale, Calif./Hoover) recorded a career-high seven points and combined with Valentina Rozas (Pico Rivera, Calif./El Rancho) and Kandis Canonica (Burlingame, Calif./St. Ignatius Prep) for 10 of Bucknell's 11 goals as the Bison women's water polo team defeated Colorado State 11-8 Sunday morning at the Michigan Kick-Off. It was the first victory of the season for Bucknell (1-2), which will wrap up play at the two-day event Sunday morning at 11:15 a.m. against No. 8 Arizona State, its third top-10 opponent in just over 24 hours.
The Bison used a six-goal third quarter to come back from a 4-3 halftime deficit and take a 9-6 advantage into the final quarter. Bucknell held off the Rams in the fourth quarter even though senior captain Aubrey Rowe (Carlisle, Pa./Cumberland Valley) was whistled for her third ejection early in the frame.
Alison Carter (Costa Mesa, Calif./Newport Harbor) made 13 saves in goal for the Bison, coming up just one shy of her career high. She did move over the 300 saves mark for her career and now has 304.
The real story of the game, though, was the offensive outburst by Palencia, Rozas and Canonica. Palencia equaled her career high with three goals, while her four assists was a new career best. Her seven points nearly doubled her previous career high of four and put her just three off the Bucknell single-game record of 10 shared by Rowe and Julie McLaughlin.
Canonica took home team-high honors with four goals, equaling her career high that she established last February against Marist. Rozas, who now has six of Bucknell's 16 goals this season, totaled three goals and a pair of assists. Additionally, she came one shy of equaling her career high with five ejections drawn.
Freshman Amanda Skonezney (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) won all four sprints for Bucknell, marking the first time a Bison had won that many in a game since Palencia was 5-for-5 against Cal Baptist in 2007.
Colorado State (0-3) was led on the offensive end by Sarah Ostling and Emily Chambers, who tallied three goals apiece.
Bucknell will battle its third top-10 team of the weekend at 11:15 a.m. when it takes on No. 8 Arizona State to wrap up the opening-weekend Michigan Kick-Off. The Sun Devils went 2-0 on Saturday, defeating Colorado State, 20-5, and No. 14 Cal State Northridge, 10-9.
COLORADO STATE 2 2 2 2 -8
BUCKNELL 3 0 6 2 -11
Goals: Canonica (4), Palencia (3), Rozas (3), Rowe.
Assists: Palencia (4), Rozas (2), Prickett, Carter.
Ejections Drawn: Rozas (5), Prickett (2).
Saves: Carter (13 svs., 8 ga., 32:00 min.).
Steals: Rowe (4), Skonezney, Vallis, Rozas, Canonica.
Sprints: Skonezney (4-4).
Bucknell Record: 1-2
