Bucknell University
George Washington
Barron's OT Goal Lifts Bucknell Men's Water Polo to 13-12 Victory Over George Washington to Open Southern Championships
11/2/2012 8:00:00 AM | Men's Water Polo
Nov. 2, 2012
LEWISBURG, Pa. -Bucknell senior Brian Barron capped an outstanding night by putting an end to the longest Bison men's water polo game in recent memory. Barron scored his third goal of the game with 1:16 remaining in the second sudden-victory overtime period to lift No. 17 Bucknell to a 13-12 victory over George Washington on the opening night of the Southern Championships Friday at Kinney Natatorium.
Barron, who won all eight sprints in the contest, finished the night with eight points as he dished out five assists and had a hand in all four of the Bison's first-half goals. He became the hero when he took a pass from Stephen Norton on a restart following an ejection and redirected it into the goal for the win. The lively Kinney Natatorium crowd that grew in size and volume as the game progressed erupted as soon as the ball hit the back of the net.
"There is no one on the team I would rather have with the ball in that situation," stated visibly excited Bucknell head coach John McBride following the game. "Our guys fought hard. We made a lot of mistakes, but it was a heck of a game. Credit George Washington. They are a good team."
It was fitting that Barron scored the game-winner on a six-on-five opportunity as the Bison were a solid 7-for-14 in man-up situations during the game. The Colonials (10-15) converted just once in six chances.
The entire game was back-and-forth as both teams led by two goals at different points during regulation and there were three lead changes and eight ties. Bucknell (12-13) led 4-2 at the end of the first period thanks to a goal at the buzzer by Barron. Fifth-seeded George Washington then held the Bison scoreless for the next 10 minutes as it took a 6-4 lead. Two six-on-five goals and a five-meter penalty conversion by Barron brought the Bison to within one (8-7). A goal by Mike Kimble with 22 seconds left in the third quarter tied it at 8-all. Neither team would lead by more than one goal the rest of the way.
Jack Else, who had a team-high four goals in the game, scored with 2:18 left in regulation to put Bucknell up 11-10. The Bison then stopped a six-on-five opportunity by the Colonials with about 90 seconds to play, but a shot by Kimble went wide on the next possession, giving George Washington one more chance to send the game to overtime.
The Colonials capitalized on that chance as Nate Little connected on an outside shot with 21 seconds to play after it looked like the George Washington offense had stalled out and would not get an open look at the goal. Bucknell did get one more shot, but a Barron shot was saved and knocked out of bounds.
The Colonials struck first in overtime as Bogdan Petkovic scored on a rebound on a six-on-five opportunity, making it 12-11.
Bucknell then evened the score at 12-12 when it scored on its first possession of the second three-minute overtime period thanks to Barron winning his sixth sprint of the night. Else took a pass from Nick Hale and found the back of the net for the goal that proved to force the sudden-victory periods.
The Bison did have their chances in the second overtime period, but they committed turnovers on their final two possessions in the frame.
George Washington started the sudden-victory overtime periods with an assault on the goal. The Colonials attempted three shots on their first possession, but Bucknell goalie Matt Napleton, who finished with 20 saves in the game, turned all three aside.
Else then nearly won the game for Bucknell on the ensuing possession, but Petkovic, who led George Washington with four goals, knocked the ball away from him just feet from the goal on a play that had the crowd screaming for a five-meter penalty shot to be awarded.
Finally, in the second sudden-victory overtime, Barron converted to give Bucknell the win, its 12th of the year and second over George Washington in three tries in 2012. The victory puts the Bison one win from advancing to the semifinals of the Southern Championships and securing a 13th consecutive berth in the Eastern Championship.
Napleton's 20 saves marked his second game this year with at least 20 stops. He now has 272 this season, putting him sixth on the Bucknell single-season list.
While Else (4) and Barron (3) combined for more than half of Bucknell's 13 goals, Stefan Aleksic (2g, 2a) and Kimble (2g) also posted multi-goal outings for the Bison, who are now 5-3 in their last eight games.
Kinney Natatorium is hosting the three-day Southern Championships all weekend. A total of 20 games will be played. Fourth-seeded Bucknell's next contest is Saturday at 12:30 p.m. against ninth-seeded Washington & Jefferson. If the Bison win that game they will advance to the semifinals against top-seeded Navy at 4:15 p.m.
GEORGE WASHINGTON 2 2 3 4 1 0 0 0 -12
BUCKNELL 4 0 4 3 0 1 0 1 -13
Goals: Else (4), Barron (3), Aleksic (2), Kimble (2), Hale, Colina.
Assists: Barron (5), S. Norton (2), Aleksic (2), Hale (2), Nowlin.
Field Blocks: Kimble (2), Aleksic, Somers.
Ejections Drawn: Else (7), Kimble (4), Aleksic (2), Colina, Barron.
Saves: Napleton (20 svs., 12 ga., 42:44 min.).
Steals: Aleksic (2), Barron (2), Napleton (2), Else, Hale, Wattana.
Sprints: Barron (8-8).
Bucknell Record: 12-13.
