Bucknell University
Gannon
Bucknell Men's Water Polo Defeats Gannon 21-6 in Season Opener
9/3/2011 8:00:00 AM | Men's Water Polo
Sept. 3, 2011
ANNAPOLIS, Md. -Brian Barron (Oak Park, Ill./Fenwick) scored a team-high four goals and six other Bison posted multi-goal outings as the No. 19 Bucknell men's water polo team got its 2011 campaign off to a good start with a 21-6 victory over Gannon at the Navy Labor Day Open on Saturday. The win was the first for the Bison under new head coach John McBride.
Bucknell improved to 7-0 all-time against Gannon. The Bison exploded for seven goals in the second quarter, turning a 3-0 first-quarter lead into a 10-2 halftime advantage.
The 21 goals scored by Bucknell were its most since defeating George Washington 21-3 last September.
Most impressively, the Bison assisted on 20 of their 21 goals. Alex Nowlin (Coto de Caza, Calif./Tesoro) dished out four assists to go along with three goals, giving him a team-high seven points. Trevor Reitz (Boynton Beach, Fla./Gulliver Prep) posted a team-high five assists and one goal for six points.
On the defensive end of the pool, Bucknell collected 23 steals. Barron totaled four to lead the 13 players with at least one theft.
Goalie Matt Napleton (Oak Park, Ill./Fenwick) anchored the defense with four saves, pushing his career total to 106.
The Bison also played an exhibition game against Lindenwood on Saturday evening. Bucknell came away with a 17-1 victory over the club team.
Sunday will wrap up the Navy Labor Day Open and the Bison will play No. 11 St. Francis (N.Y.) at 8:40 a.m. and an exhibition against Cerritos, a junior college, at 3:40 p.m.
GANNON 0 2 2 2 -6
BUCKNELL 3 7 5 6 -21
Goals: Barron (4), Nowlin (3), Colina (3), Else (2), Schwartz (2), Barnett (2), Kimble (2), Richley, Wattana, Reitz.
Assists: Reitz (5), Nowlin (4), Doyle (2), Richley (2), Caillouette, Colina, Barron, Schwartz, S. Norton, Barnett, Kimble. Field Blocks: Nowlin, Barron, Reitz.
Ejections Drawn: Else (2), Reitz, Kimble.
Saves: Napleton (4 svs., 6 ga., 32:00 min.).
Steals: Barron (4), Richley (3), Kimble (3), Caillouette (2), Schwartz (2), Barnett (2), Else, Nowlin, Colina, G. Norton, Somers, S. Norton, Napleton.
Bucknell Record: 1-0.
