Bucknell University
Mercyhurst
Bucknell Scores 11 Unanswered Goals En Route to 11-3 Win Over Mercyhurst
10/19/2014 3:45:00 PM | Men's Water Polo
LEWISBURG, Pa. – A smothering Bucknell defense posted 17 steals and held Mercyhurst without a goal for more than 29 minutes during one stretch as the Bison scored 11 unanswered goals en route to an 11-3 men's water polo victory over the Lakers Sunday afternoon at Kinney Natatorium. Sean Daley recorded a team-high six steals for the Bison, who won by their largest margin of the season.
Mercyhurst (9-10) scored the first two goals of the game and it looked like Bucknell (7-6) was having a hard time getting into rhythm following a two-week layoff since its last game, but three Grant Curry goals in a span of less than two minutes midway through the first quarter gave the Bison a lead they would never relinquish. Bucknell scored twice more in the second period and three times in both the third and fourth quarters.
The Mercyhurst scoring drought reached 29:05 before Shaquille Mitchell scored with 18 seconds left on the clock in the final period.
Matt Bresnahan scored his first two goals of the season for Bucknell, while Ratimir Babic also chipped in a pair of goals. Nate Hunter, Stefan Aleksic, Daley and Jeff Hagen each scored one goal, but the story was the defense. Daley combined with Nick Hale (four steals) for 10 steals as the Bison picked off a number of passes and did not allow the Lakers to get into an offensive flow.
With normal starter Keegan Williams on the bench in sweats, the Bison started freshman Charlie Niehaus in goal. The rookie totaled a career-high eight saves in 24 minutes of playing time. Patrick McKenzie played the fourth quarter and posted one save in his second game action of the year.
The three goals Mercyhurst scored were the fewest by a Bucknell opponent since an 11-3 win over Harvard in September 2012.
The Bison improved to 11-1 all-time against the Lakers, including 2-0 this year.
Bucknell will make its annual trek to California next weekend. It will play five games at the Santa Clara Rodeo Oct. 24-26.
MERCYHURST 2 0 0 1 -3
BUCKNELL 3 2 3 3 -11
Goals: Curry (3), Bresnahan (2), Babic (2), Hunter, Aleksic, Daley, Hagen.
Assists: Babic (2), Aleksic, Hale, Wilder, Wattana, Daley, Curry, Niehaus.
Saves: Niehaus (8 svs., 2 ga., 24:00 min.), McKenzie (1 sv., 1 ga., 8:00 min.)
Sprints: Hale (2-2), Curry (1-2).
Bucknell Record: 7-6.
