Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
#19 Princeton
Bucknell Women's Water Polo Wins First-Ever Southern Championships Title!
4/25/2010 8:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo
April 25, 2010
PRINCETON, N.J. – Alison Carter (Costa Mesa, Calif./Newport Harbor) tallied 14 saves and Hallie Kennan (Palo Alto, Calif./Palo Alto) registered three goals and three assists, helping the Bucknell women's water polo team to its first-ever Southern Championships title Sunday afternoon at Princeton's DeNunzio Pool. The top-seeded Bison overcame the second-seeded Tigers' home-pool advantage and defeated No. 19 Princeton 11-9 to claim the crown.
Bucknell, which improved to 2-1 against the Tigers this year, was playing in the title game of the Southern Championships for the third time in program history. The Bison's only other appearances came in 2005 and 2008, losing to Princeton at Kinney Natatorium both times.
Carter was strong in goal for Bucknell, which won its third straight game, as she registered her 11th double-figure save outing of the season. She also posted a team-high three steals and helped limit the Tigers to just one first-quarter goal as the Bison jumped out to a 4-1 advantage after eight minutes of play, and extended that to 6-1 in the second quarter.
Kennan paced the offense as she posted her fourth game with at least six-points this year. Additionally, Kandis Canonica (Burlingame, Calif./St. Ignatius Prep) and Amanda Skonzeney (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) registered two goals apiece. Canonica also added an assist, pushing her career point total to 324, just 27 shy of second place on the all-time list.
Tara Murao (Palo Alto, Calif./Palo Alto) also had a solid game off the bench with four of the team's eight ejections drawn. Valentina Rozas (Pico Rivera, Calif./El Rancho), who was held scoreless one day after netting three goals, drew three ejections, giving her a team-high 53 on the year and a program-record 284 in her career.
Bucknell (15-9) has now won three straight games and picked up its second win over a ranked opponent this season.
Thanks to its top-two finish at the Southern Championships, Bucknell earned an automatic berth to next weekend's Eastern Championship. The Bison have now qualified for the Eastern Championship nine consecutive years. Seeding for the three-day event at Maryland will be announced early this week.
BUCKNELL 4 2 3 2 -11
PRINCETON 1 3 2 3 -9
Goals: Kennan (3), Skonezney (2), Canonica (2), Palencia, White, Murao, Prickett.
Assists: Kennan (3), Shopiro (2), Rozas, Canonica, Prickett, Morgan.
Field Blocks: Shopiro, Rozas.
Ejections Drawn: Murao (4), Rozas (3), Canonica.
Saves: Carter (14 svs., 9 ga., 32:00 min.).
Steals: Carter (3), Skonezney (2), Prickett (2), McNally.
Sprints: Skonezney (3-4).
Record: 15-9.
