Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Gannon
Bucknell Women's Water Polo Opens 2010 Campaign with 19-4 Victory Over Gannon
2/12/2010 7:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo
Feb. 12, 2010
LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell women's water polo team scored the final 12 goals and held Gannon without a score over the final 21 minutes, 16 seconds as the Bison opened their 2010 campaign with a 19-4 victory over the Golden Knights Friday evening at Kinney Natatorium. The matchup was the first contest in the weekend-long, 17-game Bison Invitational.
Veterans Valentina Rozas (Pico Rivera, Calif./El Rancho) and Kandis Canonica (Burlingame, Calif./St. Ignatius Prep) paced the Bucknell (1-0) offense with four goals apiece, but third-year head coach John Abdou substituted liberally and used his entire bench, which featured four freshmen.
The 19 goals the Bison tallied equaled a program record. Bucknell previously accumulated 19 goals in a game in 1999 (vs. Chapman), 2001 (vs. Salem International) and 2003 (vs. Washington & Jefferson).
The Bison led just 7-4 after Gannon's (0-1) Molly Andrews netted a six-on-five goal, the third of the contest for the Golden Knights, with 5:16 left in the second quarter. Bucknell proceeded to respond with three goals over the final five minutes of the half, including two by freshman Krystle Morgan (Rowland Heights, Calif./Rosary), to take a 10-4 lead into halftime.
The Bison, who are 7-0 all-time against Gannon, tacked on just two more goals in the third quarter, but did not need to, thanks to nine saves in the period by senior goalie Alison Carter (Costa Mesa, Calif./Newport Harbor). She finished with 13 stops - one shy of her career high − in 24 minutes of play before giving way to sophomore Brittany Connell (Montebello, Calif./Montebello) in the fourth quarter. Connell proceeded to stop six shots in her eight minutes of play.
A total of four Bucknell players registered at least five points in the contest, and nine different Bison notched goals. Rozas dished out two assists to go along with her four goals, giving her a team-high six points. Shana Palencia (Glendale, Calif./Hoover) added three goals and two assists, Canonica registered an assist along with her four goals and Hallie Kennan (Palo Alto, Calif./Palo Alto) equaled her career high with three goals and also registered two assists in her third career start.
Morgan led all Bucknell freshman with two scores, but classmates Tara Murao (Palo Alto, Calif./Palo Alto) and Erica White (Orinda, Calif./Miramonte) also got in the scoring column in their first career game.
With her six points Friday, jumped from sixth to fourth on the Bison career scoring list. She now has 261 points in her career, 97 shy of Aubrey Rowe's program standard.
While the Bucknell offense was strong and the goalie play solid in the second half, the Bison were whistled for 18 ejections. Both freshman Shannon Carroll (Wilton, Conn./Loomis Chaffee) and sophomore Christina Wagner (Huntingdon Valley, Pa./William Penn Charter) fouled out, while four of their teammates finished the game with two ejections apiece. Only one of Gannon's goals ended up coming when the teams were at even strength.
Bucknell, which is now 7-5 all-time in season openers, will continue play at the Bison Invitational with two games on Saturday and one more on Sunday. The Bison will face Mercyhurst (11:30 a.m.) and Wagner (5:45 p.m.) Saturday, and No. 19 Indiana (12:15 p.m.) on Sunday.
GANNON 2 2 0 0 -4
BUCKNELL 5 5 2 7 -19
Goals: Rozas (4), Canonica (4), Palencia (3), Kennan (2), Morgan (2), White, Murao, Skonezney, McNally.
Assists: Kennan (3), Palencia (2), Rozas (2), Connell (2), White, Skonezney, Shopiro, Wagner, Canonica, Morgan, Carroll.
Field Blocks: McNally (2), Skonezney.
Ejections Drawn: Morgan (3), Rozas (2), Murao, Skonezney, Canonica.
Saves: Carter (13 svs., 4 ga., 24:00 min.), Connell (6 svs., 0 ga., 8:00 min.).
Steals: Carter (2, Palencia, Rozas, Canonica, Kennan.
Sprints: Skonezney (4-4).
Record: 1-0.
