Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Mercyhurst
Women's Water Polo Goes 1-1 at Southerns, Will Play for Third Place Sunday
4/12/2014 10:11:00 PM | Women's Water Polo
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The second-seeded Bucknell women's water polo team opened the Southern Championships Saturday at Harvard's Blodgett Pool and split games against fifth-seeded Mercyhurst (W, 8-3) and third-seeded Brown (L, 12-9). The 1-1 record helped the Bison advance to Sunday's third-place game against host Harvard.
With a win Sunday, Bucknell (11-12) will earn its highest finish at Southern Championships since winning the title in 2010. A third-place finish would also earn the Bison an automatic berth to the CWPA Championship. They would still be alive for an at-large berth even with a fourth-place showing.
Eleanor Marrs posted a team-high eight points Saturday, including a pair of multi-goal outings. Julianne Valdes had six points on the day, while Hannah Sunday finished with three goals in the two games.
Bucknell used a four-goal third period in the opener against Mercyhurst (9-13) to break open a low-scoring affair. The Bison led 3-1 at halftime en route to the five-goal victory. Rena Heim (9) and Haley Derrod (1) combined for 10 saves, while Tegan Stanbach registered a team-high two steals.
Marrs, who is tied with Valdes for the team points lead with 53, totaled three goals and two assists in the win over the Lakers, while Sunday contributed two goals in Bucknell's eighth straight win in the series.
Brown (18-14), a team the Bison defeated 7-6 last Sunday in Kinney Natatorium, came out hot on Saturday with six first-quarter goals. Bucknell never overcame the early deficit and fell by a three-goal margin to the Bears.
Marrs and Valdes led the way on the offensive end, while Heim totaled 10 saves in the cage.
Bucknell and Harvard will meet Sunday at 11:30 a.m. The Bison won the regular-season meeting last week by one goal, snapping a seven-game losing streak in the series.
Game 1
MERCYHURST 0 1 1 1 -3
BUCKNELL 1 2 4 1 -8
Goals: Marrs (3), Sunday (2), Valdes, Bozorghadad, Deana.
Assists: Marrs (2), Ovalle, Valdes, Ferry, Stanbach.
Field Blocks: none.
Ejections Drawn: Valdes, Sunday.
Saves: Heim (9 svs., 2 ga., 29:00 min.), Derrod (1 svs., 1 ga., 3:00 min.).
Steals: Stanbach (2), Valdes, Ferry, Sunday, Marrs.
Sprints: Marrs (1-2), Deana (1-1), DeRuff (0-1).
Bucknell Record: 11-11.
Game 2
BROWN 6 2 2 2 -12
BUCKNELL 3 2 3 1 -9
Goals: Valdes (2), Marrs (2), Ovalle, Ferry, DeRuff, Sunday, Deana.
Assists: Valdes (2), Ferry, Stanbach, Bozorghadad, Sunday, Marrs, Deana.
Field Blocks: none.
Ejections Drawn: Sunday (8), Ovalle, Valdes.
Saves: Heim (10 svs., 12 ga., 32:00 min.).
Steals: Stanbach.
Sprints: Deana (1-1), Marrs (0-2), Ovalle (0-1).
Bucknell Record: 11-12.
