Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Maryland
Bucknell Women's Water Polo Picks Up Wild 15-14 Overtime Victory Over Maryland Thanks to Kennan's Winning Goal
3/28/2010 8:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo
March 28, 2010
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Hallie Kennan (Palo Alto, Calif./Palo Alto) scored on a pass from Shana Palencia (Glendale, Calif./Hoover) just over two minutes into sudden death overtime, ending what was one of the Bucknell women's water polo team's wildest games in recent memory Sunday afternoon at Kinney Natatorium. Kennan's overtime goal helped the Bison defeat Maryland 15-14 and finish their weekend with a 3-0 record against a trio of league opponents.
Kennan finished the game with five goals and two assists, while Valentina Rozas (Pico Rivera, Calif./El Rancho) and Haley Prickett (Newport Beach, Calif./Corona del Mar) netted three goals apiece for the Bison, who are now 12-7 overall and 4-0 in CWPA Southern Division play.
It was a hotly contested game from the start as Bucknell was whistled for 16 ejections and Maryland picked up 20. A total of six players fouled out of the game, including four for the Terrapins.
It appeared as though Maryland (11-11, 0-1 CWPA Southern Division) had won the game at the end of regulation when the Terrapins stopped a Bison six-on-five opportunity with inside of 20 seconds to play. However, Christine Goetsch, who was whistled for her third ejection, disqualifying her from the game, swam back into play. The referees stopped the game with 0.27 seconds showing on the clock and Maryland with the ball and discussed the situation. After their conference, the clock was reset to 11 seconds and the Bison were awarded a penalty shot, which Kennan converted, evening the score at 13-13.
Despite a pair of man-up advantages for Maryland, neither team scored in the first three-minute overtime period.
Meghan Powers, who tallied four goals in the contest, put the Terrapins up 14-13 with a goal on Maryland's first possession of the second overtime period. Bison goalie Alison Carter (Costa Mesa, Calif./Newport Harbor) got a finger on the shot, but it floated in just past the goal line before she could grab it. Less than a minute later Palencia, who registered two goals and an assist, tied the score on the doorstep of the goal after corralling a rebound from a Kennan shot.
Kennan then forced a Maryland turnover with about 25 seconds remaining near mid-pool and took off sprinting down the pool. Rozas scooped up the loose ball but did not see her and instead passed the ball back to Carter. Carter threw the ball the length of the pool to Kennan, who now had a pair of Maryland defenders around her and was unable to tally the winning score. Bucknell head coach John Abdou did call timeout to draw up a last-second shot, but nothing came of it and the game was headed to sudden death.
In sudden death overtime, Kennan, who attempted a career-high 15 shots in the game, came through from the right wing on a pass from Palencia. The score came with 42 seconds showing on the clock, 2:18 into the period and gave Bucknell its second overtime win of the season.
Maryland, which led or was tied for all but 61 seconds of regulation, went up 13-12 with 27 seconds to play in regulation after Carter was called for her second ejection in two days. She nearly picked up a steal, but ended up swimming over the top of the Terrapin player in front of her. With Carter out of the game, and no goalie in net, Powers was able to score the go-ahead goal over the outstretched arms of three Bucknell defenders.
Prickett spearheaded a late Bucknell comeback in regulation. The Bison trailed 12-10 for much of the fourth quarter, but she scored two of her three goals less than 90 seconds apart in the final three minutes of play to knot the score at 12-12.
Each of Bucknell's final eight goals in regulation came via a man-up situation or a penalty shot. The Bison were 8-for-17 in six-on-five situations and 2-for-3 on penalty shots. Maryland was 4-for-15 in six-on-five situations and 1-for-1 on penalty shots.
Bucknell trailed throughout the contest with its only lead coming at 1-0 following an early goal by Prickett. The Bison's largest deficit was three goals at 6-3 and 7-4.
Bucknell made its late-game run without leading scorer Kandis Canonica (Burlingame, Calif./St. Ignatius Prep), who picked up her third ejection with just under four minutes to play in regulation. She finished with one goal and four assists and the Bison scored five goals in her absence.
The Bison attempted a season-high 44 shots in the win, while the 20 ejections drawn also marked a season high. Rozas drew six ejections, easily a season high, but one off her career best. Kennan had four ejections drawn, a career-high figure, while her seven points equaled a career high she set Saturday against Princeton. Kennan finished the weekend with 14 goals and four assists and now has a team-high 46 goals on the season.
Despite the 14 goals from Maryland, Carter recorded 11 saves, her 10th double-figure save performance of the year. She now has 180 stops, eclipsing her 2009 total and boosting her career number to 640.
The Bison were strong in the even periods, outscoring Maryland 8-3 in the second and fourth quarters.
Bucknell is now 15-2 in its last 17 regular-season league games. The Bison were able to even their record this year against the Terps, who posted a 10-5 win over Bucknell in a non-league contest at the Princeton Invitational last month, at 1-1.
The Bison will wrap up their home schedule next Wednesday, April 7, with a 7 p.m. game against non-league foe Hartwick. The Hawks were ranked No. 11 in the latest national poll.
MARYLAND 6 2 4 1 0 1 0 -14
BUCKNELL 3 5 2 3 0 1 1 -15
Goals: Kennan (5), Rozas (3), Prickett (3), Palencia (2), Skonezney, Canonica.
Assists: Canonica (4), Skonezney (2), Kennan (2), Carroll (2), Palencia, Murao, Rozas.
Field Blocks: Palencia, Rozas, Kennan.
Ejections Drawn: Rozas (6), Kennan (4), Prickett (3), Murao (2), Morgan (2), Skonezney, Shopiro, Canonica.
Saves: Carter (11 svs., 14 ga., 40:18 min.).
Steals: Carter (4), Rozas (2), Prickett (2), Kennan (2), Palencia, Shopiro, McNally.
Sprints: Skonezney (4-7).
Record: 12-7, 4-0 CWPA.
