Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Harvard
Canonica Breaks Career Assists Record But Bucknell Women's Water Polo Loses to Harvard in Overtime, 13-12
3/7/2010 7:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo
March 7, 2010
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Bucknell women's water polo team was attempting to defeat Harvard for the second consecutive Sunday, but was unable to do so at the Elite Eight Tournament. Despite six points from Valentina Rozas (Pico Rivera, Calif./El Rancho), the Bison lost a 13-12 overtime contest to the Crimson to finish eighth in the competitive eight-team field that featured five ranked teams.
Last week, Bucknell (5-5) secured a fifth-place finish at the ECAC Championship with a 9-7 win over Harvard.
In losses to No. 8 Michigan and No. 17 Brown on Saturday, the Bison were outscored 13-6 in the second half, and that trend continued on Sunday as the Bears outscored Bucknell 6-3 after halftime to knot the score at 11-11 and send the game to overtime.
Harvard scored a pair of goals in the first of the two three-minute overtime periods, and Bucknell managed just one in the second overtime segment. The Bison did have a game-tying shot come up short with two seconds remaining.
Rozas equaled her season high with six points (2g, 4a), while Shana Palencia (Glendale, Calif./Hoover) and Hallie Kennan (Palo Alto, Calif./Palo Alto) posted three goals apiece. Kandis Canonica (Burlingame, Calif./St. Ignatius Prep) registered a goal and a record-breaking assist. The junior entered the game tied for Bucknell's career assists lead with Adrienne Schober and the assist helped move her into sole possession of the record with 143.
Bucknell drew a season-high 16 ejections, including three apiece by Tara Murao (Palo Alto, Calif./Palo Alto) and Amanda Skonezney (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley).
The 12 goals for the Bison were their most in a loss since dropping a 15-12 decision to nationally ranked Princeton in March of 2007. Bucknell also fell to 1-1 in overtime games this season, having defeated Iona in extra time last weekend.
Alison Carter (Costa Mesa, Calif./Newport Harbor) posted her sixth double-figure save performance of the season in goal with 11. She now has 104 stops on the year, putting her 72 shy of her total from last season.
Michigan ended up winning the Elite Eight Tournament with an 11-8 victory over Hartwick in Sunday afternoon's championship game.
The Bison will next be in action in a rare mid-week game when they open league play at George Washington on Thursday, March 11, at 7 p.m.
BUCKNELL 5 3 1 2 0 1 -12
HARVARD 4 1 4 2 2 0 -13
Goals: Palencia (3), Kennan (3), Murao (2), Rozas (2), Canonica, Carroll.
Assists: Rozas (4), McNally (2), Palencia, Skonezney, Shopiro, Canonica.
Field Blocks: Palencia, Skonezney, McNally.
Ejections Drawn: Murao (3), Skonezney (3), Palencia (2), Rozas (2), Canonica (2), Prickett (2), Kennan, Morgan.
Saves: Carter (11 svs., 13 ga., 38:00 min.).
Steals: Murao (2), Rozas (2), Canonica (2), Carter (2), Skonezney.
Sprints: Skonezney (3-6).
Record: 5-5.
