Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Men's Water Polo's Matt Napleton Earns Weekly Award from CWPA for Fifth Time this Season
11/8/2011 7:00:00 AM | Men's Water Polo
Nov. 8, 2011
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell men's water polo junior goalie Matt Napleton (Oak Park, Ill./Fenwick) has added a fifth Collegiate Water Polo Association Defensive Player of the Week honor to his stash. He earned the award on Tuesday following 32 saves in three games at this past weekend's Southern Championships.
Napleton, who has a career-high 202 saves this year, posted six saves against Mercyhurst, 14 against No. 16 Navy and 12 more in the third-place victory over Johns Hopkins. He yielded just 24 goals in his 88 minutes of playing time.
A starter in 21 of Bucknell's 22 games this year, Napleton registered his 10th and 11th double-figure save performances of the season at the Southern Championships. His 14 stops against the Mids equaled his second-highest total this year.
Napleton, who is in his first year as a regular starter, added four steals and one assist to go along with his outstanding play in the cage. He has now been honored with a weekly award after five of Bucknell's seven weekends of play this year.
The Bison and Napleton will be idle this weekend as they prepare for the Eastern Championship, which will be held Nov. 18-20 at Harvard. Bucknell (13-9) will face Brown in the first round of the eight-team tournament.
