Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Maryland
Late Goal by Canonica Helps Bucknell Women's Water Polo Defeat Maryland 11-10 and Earn Top Seed at Southern Championships
4/18/2010 8:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo
April 18, 2010
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Junior Kandis Canonica's (Burlingame, Calif./St. Ignatius Prep) backhanded goal from two meters out with 2:12 to play lifted the Bucknell women's water polo team to an 11-10 victory over conference rival Maryland Saturday afternoon. The win clinched a first-place finish in the CWPA Southern Division standings and the top seed at next week's Southern Championships for the Bison.
The game was close throughout as it was tied 6-6 at halftime and Maryland (13-16, 2-4 CWPA) led 9-8 at the conclusion of the third period. However, Bucknell outscored the Terps 3-1 in the final period for its eighth win in its last 12 outings to improve to 13-9 overall and 5-1 in CWPA Southern Division play. The contest marked the end of the regular season for the Bison.
Canonica was one of four Bucknell players in a balanced offense to net two goals. She also dished out four assists as she recorded her second consecutive six-point outing to push her season total to a team-best 82. Amanda Skonezney (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley), Valentina Rozas (Pico Rivera, Calif./El Rancho) and Hallie Kennan (Palo Alto, Calif./Palo Alto) also registered two goals for the Bison, who had plenty of six-on-five opportunities due to 13 ejections drawn.
Senior Alison Carter (Costa Mesa, Calif./Newport Harbor) recorded nine saves in goal, giving her 204 this year. She is just the third player in program history to post at least two 200-save campaigns. She now has 664 career stops, good for third on the program's all-time list.
Ally Beck, Christine Goetsch and Meghan Powers each scored twice for Maryland, which will face second-seeded Princeton in the first round of next weekend's Southern Championships at Princeton's DeNunzio Pool. The top-seeded Bison will open the four-team tournament with fourth-seeded George Washington. The semifinals will take place Friday, while the championship and consolation are scheduled for Sunday.
This is the third consecutive year Bucknell has finished its regular season with a 5-1 conference mark. The Bison improved to 2-0 against Maryland this year with both victories coming by just one goal.
BUCKNELL 3 3 2 3 -11
MARYLAND 4 2 3 1 -10
Goals: Skonezney (2), Canonica (2), Rozas (2), Kennan (2), Palencia, White, Morgan.
Assists: Canonica (4), Palencia (2), Shopiro, Morgan, Carter.
Field Blocks: Prickett, Kennan.
Ejections Drawn: Kennan (4), Rozas (3), Murao (2), Canonica (2), White, Morgan.
Saves: Carter (9 svs., 10 ga., 32:00 min.).
Steals: Murao, Rozas, Canonica, Prickett, Kennan, Carter.
Sprints: Skonezney (1-4).
Record: 13-9, 5-1 CWPA Southern Division.
