Bucknell University
Brown
Five-Goal Third Quarter Helps Propel Bucknell Men's Water Polo to 8-6 Win Over Brown at Eastern Championship
11/20/2009 7:00:00 AM | Men's Water Polo
Nov. 20, 2009
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Johnny Stupp (St. Louis, Mo./Mary Institute) netted a pair of man-up goals and drew a career-high six ejections as the Bucknell men's water polo team overcame a 4-1 halftime deficit with a five-goal outburst in the third quarter to defeat Brown in the first round of the Eastern Championship Friday afternoon. The Bison advanced to Saturday's semifinal and will meet No. 18 Princeton at 6 p.m.
In addition to his team-high two goals and six ejections drawn, Stupp recorded the only three steals in the game on the defensive end for Bucknell (16-13), which guaranteed itself a top-four finish at Easterns for the first time since 2006. The Bison will be seeking their first title-game appearance since 1993 Saturday evening.
A first-quarter goal by Paul Reamey (Palo Alto, Calif./Palo Alto) was the lone score in the first half for Bucknell, which faced a three-goal halftime deficit. However, the offense got into gear in the third quarter with Stupp netting both of his scores in the frame. Sean Coghlan (Chicago, Ill./Brother Rice), Richie Hyden (Melbourne, Australia/Greenwich (Conn.)) and Howie Kalter (Durham, N.H./Phillips Academy Andover) also found the back of the net during the period as the Bison took a commanding 6-4 advantage.
Nick Donahue (Brooklyn, N.Y./Lawrenceville) made six saves in goal as Bucknell limited its opponent to fewer than 10 goals for the fifth time in its last six games. Donahue crossed the 200-save plateau for the second consecutive year and he now has 202 stops on the season.
Bucknell registered assists on all eight of its goals with Hyden dishing out a team-best four. With his five points Friday, he reached 300 for his career, placing him 12 shy of 10th place on the program's all-time list.
The Bison have now won three straight games at the Eastern Championship, following a pair of victories in the consolation bracket on the way to a fifth-place showing a year ago.
Also on Friday, three Bison earned CWPA All-Southern Division honors as Hyden was named first-team all-conference, while Donahue and Sean Coghlan, who tallied one goal and one assist against Brown, landed on the second team. It is the second consecutive first-team honor for Hyden, the 2008 Rookie of the Year. Donahue earned his second straight second-team nod.
Bucknell and Princeton will square off in one semifinal Saturday at 6 p.m., while No. 12 Navy and No. 20 Johns Hopkins will play in the other semifinal at 4:30 p.m.
BUCKNELL 1 0 5 2 -8
BROWN 3 1 0 2 -6
Goals: Stupp (2), Coghlan, Richley, Hyden, Kalter, Ang, Reamey.
Assists: Hyden (4), Kalter (2), Coghlan, Ang.
Field Blocks: Hyden.
Ejections Drawn: Stupp (6), Hyden (3), Coghlan.
Saves: Donahue (6 svs., 6 ga., 32:00 min.).
Steals: Stupp (3).
Sprints: Nelson (0-1), Coghlan (0-1), Hyden (0-1), Barron (0-1).
Record: 16-13.
