No. 21 Women's Water Polo Takes on La Salle and Saint Francis (Pa.) This Weekend in Season Opener

Saturday, March 13

Philadelphia, Pa.

11:30 a.m.

Bucknell University

La Salle

Photo by: Marc Hagemeier

No. 21 Women's Water Polo Takes on La Salle and Saint Francis (Pa.) This Weekend in Season Opener

3/12/2021 11:59:00 AM | Women's Water Polo

LEWISBURG, Pa.—The Bucknell University women's water polo team, ranked 21^st in the most recent CWPA poll, will begin its 2021 campaign with two games against La Salle and Saint Francis (Pa.) on Saturday afternoon at Kirk Pool on the campus of La Salle.

Game One: Bucknell (0-0, 0-0 CWPA) vs. La Salle (0-0, 0-0 MAAC)
Where: Kirk Pool, Philadelphia Pa.
When: 11:30 a.m.

Game Two: Bucknell (0-0, 0-0 CWPA) vs. Saint Francis (Pa.) (5-7, 0-0 CWPA)
Where: Kirk Pool, Philadelphia Pa.
When: 2:30 p.m.

About the Bison

Bucknell returns a strong group from last year's squad that began the season 12-1, the best start in school history.
The Bison lose graduated seniors Hayley Pogue, Katie Jo Nedrow, Nina Benson, and Gigi Rojahn, but return a talented nucleus of players that includes All-Conference picks Ally Furano and Kali Hyham.
A. Furano and Hyham each started all 19 games, combining for 134 goals and 15 assists. The duo became Bucknell's first pair of teammates to earn Honorable Mention All-American honors since Kandis Canonica and Valentina Rozas each earned the distinction in 2010.
A. Furano returns for her senior season as the top-ranked Bison in career goals, and has now posted the two highest single-season goal scoring records in Bucknell history. The senior is sixth on the all-time points list, 96 behind Kandis Canonica '11.
Bucknell's only four defeats last season came to opponents ranked in the top 25, with three of those teams appearing in the top 20 at the time of the matchup. The Bison have matchups against two teams currently ranked in the top 25 (No. 8 Michigan and No. 25 Saint Francis (Pa.)) on the schedule.
Head Coach John McBride needs just two wins to pass John Zeigler for the most wins in program history. McBride, now in his tenth season in charge, has 138 career wins to Zeigler's 139.
McBride has led the program to at least 14 wins in each of the past six seasons, including a 25-win campaign in 2019. Bucknell posted its highest-ever finish at the CWPA Championships that season.
Also returning from last season's squad are key starters Paige Furano and Marcela Herrera, as well as reserves Abbie Coscia, Chloe Smith, Bella Moynihan, Megan Lacroix, and Sam Gove.
Bucknell brought in five newcomers for the spring season in Emma Molaski, Isabelle Monaghan, Kirstin Hayduchok, Olivia Dey, and Bettina Tapiero

Season Preview
Bucknell, in the midst of one of its best-ever seasons after a program-record 12-1 start, had its season cut short the day of a scheduled matchup at Long Beach State. Bucknell's two games on Saturday in Philadelphia come just over a year from that date, and Head Coach John McBride believes his team will be ready to get back in the pool and compete.

"It wasn't a good situation for anybody," said McBride. "One of the things our women's team prides itself on is mental toughness. There was a lot of disappointment, but they are fighters, and I'm really proud of the way they dealt with it, and they are still dealing with it today. They know how good they can be, but this is a great opportunity for them to learn about disappointment, put their head down, and maybe ten years from now this will benefit them."

Bucknell will benefit greatly from the return of its two All-Conference picks in Kali Hyham and Ally Furano. A. Furano has excelled as a goalscorer for the Bison, topping numerous single-season categories in both points and goals, while Hyham provides a veteran presence in the center. Both have proven capable of handling the goal scoring for the Bison in different situations.

Furano started her 2020 season off with an explosive performance in setting the single-game goals record in a win over No. 24 Marist. Furano found the back of the cage eight times in that game, and scored 77 goals while adding 12 assists in just 19 games last season. Furano scored at least two goals in 17 of Bucknell's 19 games last season, and will continue to be a focal point of the Bison offense. Furano was named the Bison Athlete of the Week during the opening weekend at the Bruno Classic after leading Bucknell to its first 4-0 start since 2011, scoring 21 goals during that stretch.

Hyham added more goals to her game as a junior, and would have easily surpassed her previous season best of 60 goals with 57 through her first 19 games in 2020. Hyham set career-highs in goals in three consecutive games at the Mercyhurst Invite, and scored seven goals in a win over McKendree last season, one shy of Furano's school record. Hyham scored at least four goals in seven games last year, and led the team in ejections with 72. Hyham ranks fifth on the all-time list at Bucknell with 173 career ejections drawn, and her 72 ejections drawn in 2020 were good for the ninth-best total in a single season in program history.

"Ally is a player that coaches dream about on the perimeter," said McBride. "Kali is tough, she's working hard, and teams have to game plan for her. They both want the ball, and I don't really care which one gets it, because I trust they will do good things with it once they get it."

However, those two aren't the only offensive threats for the Bison returning. Both Paige Furano and Marcela Herrera have returned, with both earning consistent starts for the Bison throughout their first few seasons in the Orange and Blue.
"Paige is a great player," said McBride. "I think Paige encompasses what the team is about when it comes to mental toughness, she'll do anything. She'll post up, she'll shoot the ball, and she is the player that I like in regards to both physical and mental toughness. Paige is really turning into a leader, and is helping the younger members of the team along."

P. Furano has also proven she help out offensively when needed. The rising junior scored 29 goals and added 25 assists in her sophomore campaign. The 25 assists were a team best, and the native of Stamford, Connecticut recorded at least four points in seven games last season. P. Furano also managed a career-best six ejections drawn in a win over No. 25 Cal State East Bay last year, and tied the Bucknell school record as a first year when she scored seven goals in a single game against No. 14 Harvard.

Herrera scored 12 goals and added four assists for the Bison while also contributing on the defensive end with ten steals. Herrera has been a consistent starter for the Bison for the past two seasons, and tied her career-high in goals scored with three in a one-goal win over Salem last season. Herrera scored in seven different games for the Bison as a junior, and will look to contribute even more in her senior season.

"Marcela is someone you can always rely on," said McBride. "She loves Bucknell, and I know when she's out there, she will give everything she has. She works harder than anybody else, and she's passionate about playing. She shoots the ball well, and always plays solid defense for us."

Bella Moynihan is another name that McBride mentioned could play a bigger role this spring. The center defender from San Anselmo, California appeared in 13 games as a first year, scoring three goals and adding four assists.   Moynihan scored twice against Siena in her third collegiate appearance, and McBride noted that she could be poised to contribute even more in year two.

"Bella is another player that embodies everything that we're about," said McBride. "She's tough, fearless, and I trust her one hundred percent. She's an incredibly hard worker, and she's been great for our culture."

Also looking to make a positive step forward in year two will be returning sophomores Abbie Coscia, Chloe Smith, Megan LaCroix, and Sam Gove. LaCroix made ten starts as a first year, and added five assists in Bucknell's one-goal win over Salem. Gove is making the transition to the goalkeeper position this season for the Bison.

Although the team returns a nice veteran presence to the fold, McBride noted that several newcomers will be also expected to play significant roles with the Bison from the beginning.

"We expect both Emma Molaski and Isabelle Monaghan to contribute a lot during their freshman year," said McBride. "We like the way this group has worked, but it will take time to learn our system."

The Bison will face the Explorers and the Red Flash for two games on Saturday before officially beginning its CWPA slate one week later against No. 8 Michigan in Lewisburg. The Bison are scheduled to play just six conference matchups before the CWPA Championships scheduled for April 24^th in Ann Arbor.

"It's always fun to play Michigan, and it's a great gauge to see where we are," said McBride. "They're a well-coached team with great players, and it's a good reality check for us to start the season. At this point, we're excited to play anybody, and we'll be ready to go once the season starts."