Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
George Washington
Bucknell Women's Water Polo Goes 1-1 on First Day of Southern Championships
4/14/2012 8:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo
April 14, 2012
| BUY PHOTOS
LEWISBURG, Pa. -Bucknell scored seven goals in the first quarter, Julianne Valdes (Miami, Fla./Gulliver Prep) equaled the program single-game record for assists for the second consecutive week and Ariel Frankeny (Fountain Valley, Calif./Fountain Valley) and Taylor Barnett (Houston, Texas/Clear Lake) scored four goals apiece as the Bison women's water polo team defeated George Washington, 17-8, Saturday afternoon in its first game at the Southern Championships. However, Bucknell could not keep the momentum and fell by a 14-6 score to No. 14 Princeton in the nightcap.
The fourth-seeded Bison (14-20) will now play in Sunday morning's (10:30 a.m.) third-place game against either second-seeded Harvard or third-seeded Brown. The contest will be broadcast live on Bison Vision. Sunday's championship game will pit Princeton against either Harvard or Brown, two of the top three seeds in the six-team field.
Bucknell was strong early in the win over the Colonials, scoring seven consecutive times to lead 7-1 at the end of the first quarter. They extended the advantage to 11-4 at the half and 16-6 after three periods. The 17 goals were a season high for the Bison, who are now 4-0 against George Washington this spring.
Valdes posted three goals and six assists to key the Bucknell offense. The nine points were the most by a Bison player this year and put her just one point shy of equaling the program single-game record. She did dish out six assists for the second straight Saturday, marking the third time she has tied the single-game record. Valdes now has 44 assists on the year and a team-high 96 points (52g, 44a).
Barnett's four goals boosted her season total to a team-high 62, placing her tied for seventh on the single-season ledger. Frankeny's four goals were a new career high for the senior.
Game two on the day for the Bison was a reverse of the first as Princeton scored five of the game's first six goals and led 7-3 after the first quarter. Bucknell never drew closer the rest of the way as the Tigers' final eight-goal margin of victory was their largest lead of the game.
Valdes and Barnett posted two goals each against Princeton, the 12th ranked opponent the Bison have faced this year.
Bucknell was hurt by 21 turnovers against the Tigers.
Princeton (24-4), which defeated George Washington 11-8 in the first game of the day at Kinney Natatorium, was led by Katie Rigler's six goals.
The Southern Championships will conclude on Sunday with games at 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 12 p.m.
Game 1
GEO. WASH. 1 3 2 2 -8
BUCKNELL 7 4 5 1 -17
Goals: Barnett (4), Frankeny (4), Valdes (3), Kennan (2), Morgan (2), Ferry, Bozorghadad.
Assists: Valdes (6), Bozorghadad (2), Kennan (2), Ferry, Skonezney.
Field Blocks: Valdes, Shopiro, Frank.
Ejections Drawn: Valdes (3), Barnett (3), Frankeny (2), Shopiro, Carroll.
Saves: Heim (12 svs., 8 ga., 32:00 min.).
Steals: Peterson (3), Smith, Morris, Barnett, Bozorghadad, Kennan, Frankeny, Heim.
Sprints: Valdes (4-4).
Bucknell Record: 14-19.
Game 2
PRINCETON 7 2 3 2 -14
BUCKNELL 3 1 1 1 -6
Goals: Valdes (2), Barnett (2), Peterson, Morgan.
Assists: Valdes, Smith, Ferry, Kennan.
Field Blocks: Peterson.
Ejections Drawn: Morgan (3), Frankeny (2), Valdes, Shopiro, Murao.
Saves: Heim (7 svs., 14 ga., 32:00 min.).
Steals: Heim (3), Valdes (2), Smith, Ferry, Shopiro, Murao, Bozorghadad, Kennan.
Sprints: Valdes (2-2), Peterson (0-1), Bozorghadad (0-1).
Bucknell Record: 14-20.
