Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
#20 Maryland
Bucknell Women's Water Polo Falls to No. 20 Maryland 15-11 in First Round of Eastern Championship
4/24/2009 8:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo
April 24, 2009
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Aubrey Rowe (Carlisle, Pa./Cumberland Valley) scored four goals and drew a career-high eight ejections, but the Bucknell women's water polo team lost a 15-11 decision to No. 20 Maryland Friday afternoon in the first round of the Eastern Championship. The Bison tallied six first-quarter goals, but were outscored 11-5 over the final three periods.
Bucknell (18-15), which was seeded sixth, lost its fourth consecutive game and will now play seventh-seeded Princeton in the consolation bracket Saturday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. The Bison can still finish as high as fifth in the eight-team Eastern Championship.
Rowe, who now has 350 career points, placing her one shy of equaling Meagan Gins' program record, led the team with her four goals and drew eight ejections, pushing her season total to 49. However, the Bison scored more goals in the first quarter than they did the rest of the game.
Shana Palencia (Glendale, Calif./Hoover), Amanda Skonezney (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) and Valentina Rozas (Pico Rivera, Calif./El Rancho) scored two goals apiece, while Haley Prickett (Newport Beach, Calif./Corona del Mar) registered one goal and a team-high four assists. Rozas' two scores increased her season total to 71, breaking the previous program single-season standard.
Bucknell was whistled for 13 ejections in a game that featured 28 total and leading scorer Kandis Canonica (Burlingame, Calif./St. Ignatius Prep) was unable to play in the third quarter due to foul trouble and was majored in the fourth without a point in the contest.
Alison Carter (Costa Mesa, Calif./Newport Harbor) registered eight saves and one goal in goal for the Bison, who fell to 1-2 against the third-seeded Terrapins this year.
Friday evening the Collegiate Water Polo Association handed out its all-league awards and three Bison were named All-Southern Division. Rozas earned her third consecutive first-team citation, while Rowe and Canonica both landed on the second team. It was the third career all-conference award for Rowe, while Canonica earned a second-team certificate for the second straight year. Additionally, second-year head coach John Abdou was named the Southern Division Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season.
Bucknell and Princeton will square off Saturday for the fourth time this season. The Bison are 2-1 against the Tigers, but lost at last week's Southern Championships.
BUCKNELL 6 1 3 1 -11
MARYLAND 4 4 4 3 -15
Goals: Rowe (4), Palencia (2), Skonezney (2), Rozas (2), Prickett.
Assists: Prickett (4), Vallis (2), Palencia, Carter.
Ejections Drawn: Rowe (8), Rozas (2), Canonica (2), Vallis, McNally, Prickett.
Saves: Carter (8 svs., 15 ga., 32:00 min.).
Steals: McNally (2), Prickett (2), Palencia, Rozas, Canonica, Rowe.
Sprints: Skonezney (0-4).
Bucknell Record: 18-15
