Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
George Washington
Balanced Scoring Helps Bucknell Women's Water Polo to 9-7 Win Over George Washington to Open Eastern Championship
4/27/2012 8:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo
April 27, 2012
PROVIDENCE, R.I. –Taylor Barnett (Houston, Texas/Clear Lake), Hallie Kennan (Palo Alto, Calif./Palo Alto) and Ariel Frankeny (Fountain Valley, Calif./Fountain Valley) scored two goals apiece and the Bucknell women's water polo team converted half of its eight six-on-five chances as it opened the Eastern Championship with a 9-7 victory over George Washington Friday morning at Brown's Moran Coleman Aquatics Center. The eight-seeded Bison will now face top-seeded Michigan in the quarterfinals Friday at 3:40 p.m.
Bucknell's win was its fifth over the ninth-seeded Colonials this year as it improved to 15-21 overall. Three of the Bison's victories over George Washington were by at least eight goals, while this was the second decided by two goals.
Bucknell, which is guaranteed of its 10th consecutive top-eight finish at the Eastern Championship, led 3-2 at the end of the first period and 4-3 at halftime before expanding to 7-5 at the conclusion of three quarters.
Kennan added two assists to her two goals, giving her 100 points on the season. She and Julianne Valdes (Miami, Fla./Gulliver Prep), who dished out one assist and won all four sprints Friday, are the third pair of Bison teammates to score 100 points in the same year.
Barnett, who moved within 10 of Aubrey Rowe's program single-season record for goals, had a solid all-around game with two steals and a team-high three ejections drawn. Her 65 goals this season rank seventh on the school's single-season list.
Goalie Rena Heim (Mohnton, Pa./Governor Mifflin) made eight saves, recorded two steals and posted one assist for the Bison, who snapped a two-game losing streak and won for the fifth time in their last eight games. Heim moved into third on the single-season saves list (269) and fourth on the career ledger (392).
Bucknell and Michigan will square off Friday afternoon. It will be the second meeting between the two teams this year. The Wolverines captured a 12-7 decision April 7 in College Park, Md. The Bison will be looking for their first-ever win opposite Michigan.
GEO. WASH. 2 1 2 2 -7
BUCKNELL 3 1 3 1 -9
Goals: Barnett (2), Frankeny (2), Kennan (2), Smith, Shopiro, Morgan.
Assists: Kennan (2), Skonezney (2), Valdes, Shopiro, Peterson.
Field Blocks: Shopiro.
Ejections Drawn: Barnett (3), Murao (2), Morgan (2), Shopiro, Frankeny.
Saves: Heim (8 svs., 7 ga., 32:00 min.).
Steals: Valdes (3), Barnett (2), Heim (2), Ferry, Skonezney, Morgan.
Sprints: Valdes (4-4).
Bucknell Record: 15-21.
