Bucknell Men's Water Polo Goes 1-1 on Final Day of Navy Invite

Sunday, September 5

Annapolis, Md.

10:30 a.m.

Bucknell University

UC Davis

Photo by: Marc Hagemeier

Bucknell Men's Water Polo Goes 1-1 on Final Day of Navy Invite

9/5/2021 5:32:00 PM | Men's Water Polo

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- The No. 17 Bucknell University men's water polo team went 1-1 on the final day of the Navy Invite, falling 14-13 to UC Davis before taking the final game of the day, 15-10, over Salem.

Game One: UC Davis 14, Bucknell 13

A close contest between two ranked opponents went the distance with neither team leading by more than three goals. However, the Aggies scored the eventual game-winning goal with 54 seconds remaining to garner a two-goal advantage. Josh Yardley found the back of the cage with 39 seconds to go, but the Aggies held on for the one-goal victory.

Bucknell trailed early on, but managed to claw its way back into the contest on multiple instances after UC Davis raced out to a 5-2 lead. Bucknell managed to close that gap to two by halftime, 6-4, after limiting the Aggies to just one goal in the second period. Walker Butler and Andu Vlasceanu each scored in the period to keep Bucknell within striking distance at the half.

Bucknell continued its momentum from the first half to open the second, with Doruk Ozar and Yardley each scoring once to make it four unanswered goals for the Orange and Blue to tie the game at seven.

The Bison seemingly turned the game around in the fourth, taking a 10-8 lead on a goal by Ozar to open the period. The lead would not last however, as the Aggies managed to send the game into overtime tied at 11 on a goal with 42 seconds remaining in regulation.

UC Davis scored two more goals to open overtime to take a 13-11 lead, before Yardley pulled one back to pull Bucknell within one with 1:27 to go. However, the Aggies would respond seconds later to take a 14-13 win.

Yardley led the way for the Bison scorers with four goals, while Mogultay added three goals. Doruk Ozar managed to score twice, while Butler and Jack Lewis each added a goal for the Bison.

Game Two: Bucknell 15, Salem 10

Bucknell broke open a close game in the second, outscoring the Tigers 7-1 in the period to take a commanding 15-10 win in the final game of the weekend.

Bucknell trailed entering the second period to the Tigers, 4-3, but a goal from Yardley and two by Mogultay gave Bucknell a 6-4 advantage with three unanswered tallies. After a goal by the Tigers with 5:57 to go in the half, Bucknell added four more unanswered goals, with Mogultay and Yardley adding two apiece during the stretch to take a 10-5 lead at the break.

Bucknell maintained its lead in the second half in taking a 15-10 win over the Tigers.

Yardley led all scorers once again with six goals, while Mogultay added four. Bucknell also gained contributions from six other goalscorers who added a goal apiece in Ethan Jones, Lewis, Butler, Matt Ryckman, Jack Bruce, and Shay Gillearn.

Bucknell will now look ahead to the Princeton Invite that begins on September 11 with a 9:15 a.m. matchup against California Baptist.