Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
#15 Indiana
Bucknell Women's Water Polo Falls to Top-Seeded Indiana in Eastern Championship Quarterfinal, 12-3
4/26/2013 8:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo
April 26, 2013
ANN ARBOR, Mich. –Just four hours after exiting the pool following a 10-3 win over Mercyhurst, the Bucknell women's water polo was back in the water facing top-seeded and No. 15 nationally Indiana in the quarterfinals of the Eastern Championship Friday afternoon at Michigan's Canham Natatorium. The eighth-seeded Bison were unable to make it two wins in a row, though, as they dropped a 12-3 decision to the Hoosiers, who were playing their first game of the day.
Bucknell (7-18) was trying to advance to the semifinals of the Eastern Championship for the first time since 2006, but will instead have to aim for a fifth-place finish with wins each of the next two days. The Bison will square off against the loser of Friday evening's Michigan-Brown contest Saturday at 3 p.m. with a berth in the fifth-place game on the line.
Indiana (20-12) won its fourth straight game over Bucknell as it jumped out to a 6-1 halftime lead and did not allow the Bison to score more than one goal in any period. The CWPA Western Division champion Hoosiers have now won four consecutive games.
All-conference selections Julianne Valdes and Mackenzie Ferry, as well as Hannah Sunday, provided Bucknell's three goals. Valdes, Emily Nowlin and Eleanor Marrs dished out assists. Valdes' assist was the 100th of her three-year career, putting her in sole possession of seventh place on the program's all-time list.
The Bison equaled their season high with 12 ejections drawn, including four apiece by Valdes and Krystle Morgan. Morgan, who also posted four ejections drawn earlier against Mercyhurst, now has a career-high 63 this year to rank ninth on the school's single-season ledger.
Bucknell will play either No. 19 and fourth-seeded Michigan for the first time this season or fifth-seeded Brown for the second time on Saturday afternoon. The Bison defeated the Bears by a 10-9 score at the season-opening Bison Invitational in February.
BUCKNELL 0 1 1 1 -3
INDIANA 3 3 4 2 -12
Goals: Valdes, Ferry, Sunday.
Assists: Valdes, Nowlin, Marrs.
Field Blocks: Ovalle, Sunday.
Ejections Drawn: Morgan (4), Valdes (4), Sunday (2), Ovalle, Murao.
Saves: Heim (11 svs., 12 ga., 32:00 min.).
Steals: Valdes, Barnett, Murao, Heim.
Sprints: Marrs (2-2), Ovalle (0-2).
Bucknell Record: 7-18.
