Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Women's Water Polo Heads West for Spring Break
3/8/2012 7:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo
March 8, 2012
LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell women's water polo team will head to California for Spring Break. The Bison are scheduled to play 11 games in a nine-day span as they look to improve upon their 8-8 season record. Bucknell's schedule will be a difficult one as eight of its 11 games will be against teams ranked in this week's national top-20 poll.
The Bison open their trip at this weekend's Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunner Invitational, where they will play Azusa Pacific, Fresno Pacific, No. 19 Long Beach State and the host Roadrunners. Bucknell also plays three mid-week contests against ranked opponents before wrapping up its trip March 17-18 at the Aztec Invitational in San Diego, Calif.
Bucknell recently posted a five-game winning streak, its longest since 2009, but lost its final two contests at the Harvard Invitational to the host Crimson and Iona.
The Bison are outscoring opponents 159-146 this year, including 84-73 in the first half. Taylor Barnett leads the team in goals with 29, while Amanda Skonezney (24), Hallie Kennan (22) and Julianne Valdes (20) have also found the back of the net at least 20 times. Krystle Morgan (18) and Heather Smith (10) have also notched double figures in goals this year.
Valdes has also been strong on the defensive end, totaling a team-high 22 steals, putting her just seven shy of her freshman-year total.
Rena Heim, who recently moved into fifth place on the program's career saves list with 238, has started 12 games in goal this year and has 115 saves. She needs just eight more stops to equal her career high.
Bucknell enters its California trip having posted a 1-2 record against ranked foes in 2012. The Bison lost to No. 16 Hartwick and No. 18 Princeton, but defeated No. 20 Iona.
Bucknell will have just four regular-season games remaining after its 11-game trip to California. The Bison will next be home April 14-15 when they host the Southern Championships.
Bucknell's Weekly Awards in 2012
CWPA Southern Division Player of the Week
- Julianne Valdes (Feb. 27)
Bison on Career Record Lists
Brittany Connell: Saves (7th, 209)
Rena Heim: Saves (5th, 238)
Hallie Kennan: Points (t-8th, 248), Goals (8th, 148), Assists (6th, 100), Shots (8th, 381)
Stephanie Ovalle: Sprints (7th, 39)
Amanda Skonezney: Games Started (10th, 101), Sprints (1st, 149)
Bucknell's Ranked Opponents on California Trip
No. 6 San Diego State
No. 13 Cal State Northridge (twice)
No. 14 Hawaii
No. 16 UC Santa Barbara
No. 19 Long Beach State (twice)
No. 20 UC San Diego
