Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Siena
Bucknell Women's Water Polo Rides Fast Start to 13-7 Victory Over Siena
2/18/2012 7:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo
Feb. 18, 2012
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Freshman Taylor Barnett (Houston, Texas/Clear Lake) scored four goals, including three in the first half, and the Bucknell women's water polo team turned an early 6-0 advantage into a 13-7 win Saturday in its first game at the weekend-long Bison Invitational. Fellow rookie Sayeh Bozorghadad (Los Altos, Calif./Castilleja) chipped in two goals for Bucknell, which won its third straight game to improve to 3-2 on the young season.
The Bison held the Saints scoreless for the first 13:55 of play as they built that 6-0 lead. Barnett scored three times during that stretch and assisted on another goal by Hallie Kennan (Palo Alto, Calif./Palo Alto).
Bucknell still led 8-2 at halftime and stretched its lead to as many as eight goals in the second half before Siena (0-1) netted five goals in the final 11:03 of play against a number of Bison reserves.
Ariel Frankeny (Fountain Valley, Calif./Fountain Valley) gave Bucknell three multi-goal scorers as she found the back of the net twice and dished out an assist.
The Bison defense was key throughout the game as they totaled a season-high 22 steals. Julianne Valdes (Miami, Fla./Gulliver Prep) and Heather Smith (Redwood City, Calif./Sacred Heart Prep) led the way with four steals apiece.
Brittany Connell (Montebello, Calif./Montebello) played her third consecutive game in goal and stopped five Siena shots. She is now just five saves shy of 200 in her career.
Bucknell, which outshot the Saints 34-16, will continue play at the Bison Invitational Saturday evening at 6:30 p.m. against Brown.
SIENA 0 2 3 2 -7
BUCKNELL 4 4 4 1 -13
Goals: Barnett (4), Bozorghadad (2), Frankeny (2), Valdes, Smith, Skonezney, Kennan, Morgan.
Assists: Ovalle, Valdes, Barnett, Murao, Bozorghadad, Kennan, Frankeny, Frank, Connell.
Field Blocks: Smith.
Ejections Drawn: Ovalle, Valdes, Ferry, Shopiro, Barnett, Kennan, Morgan, Carroll, Frank.
Saves: Connell (5 svs., 7 ga., 32:00 min.).
Steals: Valdes (4), Smith (4), Barnett (3), Bozorghadad, (3), Connell (2), Ferry (2), Ovalle, Morris, Murao, Peterson.
Sprints: Smith (1-2), Ovalle, Skonezney.
Bucknell Record: 3-2.
