Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Princeton
Bucknell Women's Water Polo Loses to Princeton, 10-8, at Eastern Championship
4/30/2010 8:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo
April 30, 2010
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Bucknell women's water polo team was outscored 4-1 by Princeton in the first quarter and could not overcome the early deficit as the Bison dropped a 10-8 decision to the Tigers Friday afternoon in the first round of the Eastern Championship. Fourth-seeded Bucknell will now face Harvard Saturday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. with a chance to finish as high as fifth in the eight-team field.
Fifth-seeded Princeton will move on to Saturday's semifinal against top-seeded Michigan. The winner of the Eastern Championship earns an automatic berth into the NCAA Championships, slated for next month in San Diego.
The Bison earned the fourth seed at Easterns in part for their victory over Princeton this past Sunday in the Southern Championships title game. Bucknell (15-10) was 2-1 against the Tigers this year, but Princeton scored eight of its 10 goals in the first half on Friday to build a four-goal halftime advantage.
Hallie Kennan (Palo Alto, Calif./Palo Alto) netted a team-high three goals for the Bison and Valentina Rozas (Pico Rivera, Calif./El Rancho) added a pair, but it was not enough as Lauren Brunner and Saranna Soroka combined for six goals for the Tigers.
Bucknell goalie Alison Carter (Costa Mesa, Calif./Newport Harbor) made six saves, tallied four steals and limited Princeton to just two second-half goals. She is now 11 saves shy of equaling her career high.
The Bison drew 10 ejections in the game, including a team-high four by Rozas, and converted on five six-on-five attempts. Princeton was 3-for-7 in man-up situations.
The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for Bucknell, which is participating in the Eastern Championship for a ninth consecutive year.
Bucknell, which will finish fifth overall with two more wins this weekend, will square off against Harvard Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in a consolation game.
PRINCETON 4 4 1 1 -10
BUCKNELL 1 3 3 1 -8
Goals: Kennan (3), Rozas (2), Skonezney, Shopiro, Canonica.
Assists: Prickett (2), Palencia, Rozas, Kennan, Morgan.
Field Blocks: Palencia, Shopiro, Rozas, Kennan.
Ejections Drawn: Rozas (4), Canonica (3), Palencia, Murao, Morgan.
Saves: Carter (6 svs., 10 ga., 32:00 min.).
Steals: Carter (4), Murao (2), Kennan (2).
Sprints: Skonezney (1-4).
Record: 15-10.
