Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Women's Water Polo Back in Action Saturday
2/6/2009 7:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo
Feb. 6, 2009
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Two weeks after opening its season at the difficult Michigan Kick-Off, the Bucknell women's water polo team will return to action this Saturday, Feb. 7, at the Princeton Open. The Bison will take on Villanova (11:30 a.m.) and Mercyhurst (5 p.m.) at the one-day event. Both games will be played in Princeton's DeNunzio Pool, the host site of the 2009 Men's Water Polo NCAA Championship.
Bucknell's schedule on Saturday will be significantly less challenging than it was at the Michigan Kick-Off when the Bison faced three top-10 teams. Both Villanova and Mercyhurst will be opening their seasons this weekend.
Bucknell Women's Water Polo Notebook (1-3, 0-0 CWPA)
Bucknell Notes
• Bucknell went 1-3 at the Michigan Kick-Off two weeks ago. All three losses were to top-10 teams. It was the earliest starting date to the season in program history.
• Bucknell is in a stretch where it plays just three games in a nearly one-month span. Including Saturday's contests, the Bison will play league opponent Maryland (Feb. 15) before its next busy weekend (Feb. 21-22 at Princeton Invitational).
• In just his second season guiding the Bison, head coach John Abdou owns a 27-10 (.675) record.
• Junior Valentina Rozas (CWPA Southern Division Player of the Week) and freshman Amanda Skonezney (CWPA Southern Division Rookie of the Week) earned weekly honors after their performances at the Michigan Kick-Off. Rozas totaled nine goals, 12 points and 11 ejections drawn in three games, while Skonezney, who was the only freshman to earn a start in the first four games, won 6 of 14 sprints and recorded six steals.
• Rozas and classmate Shana Palencia are tied for the team lead with 12 points apiece. Rozas paces the squad with nine goals, while Palencia has totaled a team-high seven assists to boost her career total to 49.
• Junior goalie Alison Carter recorded 13 saves in Bucknell's win over Colorado State at the Michigan Kick-Off, coming up one shy of matching her career high. In the same game she eclipsed the 300-save plateau for her career. Carter ranks fourth on Bucknell's career saves list with 304, placing her 86 behind third-place Kristen D'Agostino.
• Rozas is second among current Bison with 170 career points, placing her 11th on Bucknell's career list. With her next point she will tie Paige Cull for 10th on the career scoring ledger. Senior captain Aubrey Rowe's 235 career points are the most among current Bison. She ranks sixth in Bucknell history and enters Saturday's action 13 behind fifth-place Cody Keffer.
• Bucknell suffered a 17-0 loss to four-time defending national champion UCLA in its season opener. It was the first time in program history the Bison had been shut out.
Bison on Career Record Lists
Kandis Canonica: Assists (10th, 63)
Alison Carter: Saves (4th, 304)
Shana Palencia: Sprints Won (6th, 38)
Aubrey Rowe: Points (6th, 235), Goals (5th, 150), Assists (5th, 85), Steals (3rd, 177), Ejections Drawn (4th, 109), Shots (7th, 357), Games Started (7th, 91), Sprints Won (5th, 48)
Valentina Rozas: Points (11th, 170), Goals (9th, 126), Ejections Drawn (2nd, 153), Shots (9th, 276)
Bucknell's Weekly Awards in 2008
CWPA Southern Division Player of the Week
- Valentina Rozas (Jan. 26)
CWPA Southern Division Rookie of the Week
- Amanda Skonezney (Jan. 26)
About Mercyhurst/Villanova
• Both Mercyhurst and Villanova will be opening their 2009 campaigns on Saturday. The Lakers posted a 14-9 record in 2008, while the Wildcats were 3-24 a year ago.
Bucknell vs. Mercyhurst/Villanova
• Bucknell vs. Mercyhurst: 1-0 (Bucknell won first-ever meeting (14-8) at 2008 Eastern Championship)
• Bucknell vs. Villanova: 14-6 (Bucknell has won 12 straight)
Up Next
• Bucknell will be idle until next Sunday, Feb. 15, when it travels to Maryland for a 1:30 p.m. CWPA Southern Division game. Bison senior captain Aubrey Rowe's sister (Callan) is a freshman on the Terps' roster.
