Women's Water Polo Defeats Pomona-Pitzer, Hangs Tough with #12 Loyola Marymount

Friday, March 15

Los Angeles, Calif.

12:15 p.m. (ET)

Bucknell University

Pomona-Pitzer

Women's Water Polo Defeats Pomona-Pitzer, Hangs Tough with #12 Loyola Marymount

3/15/2019 8:38:00 PM | Women's Water Polo

LOS ANGELES—The Bucknell University women's water polo team split two games to open the LMU Invite on the campus of Loyola Marymount University on Saturday.

Game One: Bucknell 11, Pomona-Pitzer 9

The Bison rattled off four unanswered goals in the fourth period to take an 11-9 come-from-behind win over Pomona-Pitzer in the first game of the day.

The Bison started brightly in the first period, using two goals while shutting out the Sagehens over the first eight minutes. Paige Furano got things started with an even strength goal on an assist from Emily Konishi, while Kali Hyham added Bucknell's second goal with eight seconds left in the period.

After a scoreless three minutes to open the second, Pomona-Pitzer got on the board with 4:36 to go in the half on a goal before Konishi responded with a solo goal just ten seconds later to restore the two-goal advantage for Bucknell.

Pomona-Pitzer netted one more time before the half as Bucknell took a 3-2 lead into the intermission.

The third period was a tightly contested one, with the Sagehens managing a response to every Bucknell goal before eventually taking a 7-6 lead with 2:28 to go in the third. Ally Furano was on hand to equalize shortly afterwards at the two minute mark with a goal on the power play with two minutes left in the third. However, the Sagehens grabbed another goal late in the third to take an 8-7 lead entering the final period.

The Sagehens took a two-goal lead with five minutes to go on a goal by Nadia Paquin before a resilient Bucknell squad scored two straight in a 14-second span to tie things up with 4:49 to go. A goal by Konishi on an assist by Nina Benson with 4:20 to go before Paige Furano added an insurance goal with 2:12 to go for the Bison's final tally. Konishi came up with a big field block with just under a minute to go to preserve the lead and help Bucknell take an 11-9 win.

Konishi scored three goals and added an assist for the Bison, while P. Furano and A. Furano scored three times each. Georgia Lewis made five saves in the cage for Bucknell.

Bucknell          2 - 1 - 4 - 4 -- 11
Pomona-Pitzer 0 - 2 - 6 - 1 – 9

Goals: P. Furano (3), A. Furano (3), Konishi (3), Hyham
Assists: Konishi, Benson
Steals: Herrera, Mooney, Konishi
Ejections Drawn: Craig, Hyham
Sprints: Herrera (1-1) Konishi (0-1)
Saves: Lewis 5 saves, 32:00 minutes

Game Two: Bucknell 8, #12 Loyola Marymount, 10

The Lions took an early lead just 30 seconds in, and added a second with 3:15 to go in the first to take a 2-0 lead after on. A third goal by the Lions with 4:21 to go in the second period to take a 3-0 lead threatened to shut out the Bison in the first half for the first time all season before Hyham got the Bison on the board with a goal with just over a minute remaining.

The offense came to life in the second half for both teams, with each team netting a goal each within the first minute of the second half. The Lions threated to pull away with a three goal advantage at 5-2, but Bucknell scored two straight on strikes by A. Furano and Hyham to close the gap to 5-4 with 5:40 left in the third.

The game remained close entering the fourth with LMU clinging onto a 7-6 lead. The Lions brought their advantage back to three goals at 10-7 with 2:37 to go, and staved off a Bison comeback after Sarah Mooney closed the gap to 10-8 with just over a minute to play to hold on for the win.

Hyham recorded three goals to lead the Bison, while A. Furano added two. Lewis made five saves in the cage for Bucknell.

Goals: Hyham (3), A. Furano (2), P. Furano, Mooney, Herrera
Steals: Mooney, Konishi
Sprints: Konishi (2-2), Herrera (0-1), Benson (1-1)

Bucknell will play San Jose State and Cal State East Bay to conclude the LMU Invite on Saturday.