Sunday, September 18
Lewisburg, Pa.
8 a.m.
Bucknell University
8
vs
7
McKendree
Photo by: Cole Cloonan
Men's Water Polo Concludes Home Invitational With 2-0 Day
9/18/2022 3:20:00 PM | Men's Water Polo
LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Bucknell University men's water polo team completed a 2-0 day and a 3-1 weekend at the Bucknell Invite on Sunday, taking two wins over McKendree and Wagner by scores of 8-7 and 11-9, respectively, at Kinney Natatorium.
Bucknell improves to 2-1 in MAWPC games after the weekend after defeating Johns Hopkins and falling to Fordham in yesterday's fixtures.
Game One: Bucknell 8, McKendree 7
The Bison overturned a 4-2 halftime deficit into a 6-5 lead at the 2:48 mark of the third in keeping a resilient McKendree team at bay in a one-goal victory at Kinney Natatorium on Sunday morning.
The Bison found themselves tied at two after one quarter on goals by Aleksa Stefanovic and Doruk Ozar, but couldn't find the back of the cage in the second quarter as the Bearcats took a 4-2 lead at the break.
However, Bucknell brought the game even after just one minute into the third, as Andu Vlasceanu scored twice 30 seconds apart to tie the game at four. Vlasceanu then scored once more after the Bearcats tallied a goal to tie the game at five, before Shay Gillearn scored at the 2:48 mark of the third to give Bucknell its first lead since the 2:47 mark of the first.
The Bison maintained the lead the rest of the way, but not without resistance from the Bearcats in the first meeting between the two schools in program history.
Ethan Jones scored a big goal to start the fourth to give the Bison a two-goal cushion, before McKendree brought the game within one once more. Vlasceanu tallied his fourth goal of the game for Bucknell's final goal to give Bucknell an 8-6 lead with 3:21 to go. McKendree kept things close, pulling a goal back with 3:05 remaining, but Bucknell held on for an 8-7 win in the final minutes.
Vlasceanu scored four times in the win, while Gillearn, Jones, Ozar, and Stefanovic each found the back of the cage.
Game Two: Bucknell 11, Wagner 9
Bucknell finished strong in its final contest of the weekend, overpowering Wagner during the home stretch to take an 11-9 win. The Bison outscored the Seahawks 4-1 over the final eight minutes, after a furious Wagner comeback tied the game at seven with 1:48 left in the third.
Bucknell started brightly, taking a 4-2 lead after one and extending that lead to 6-2 at the 5:47 mark of the second quarter on a penalty shot by Aleksa Stefanovic. The first-year scored three penalty shots in the first half, thanks to a determined effort in the center by teammate Doruk Ozar in drawing penalty exclusions throughout the opening 16 minutes.
However, the Seahawks battled back, pulling within one, 6-5, at the 1:27 mark of the second quarter after three unanswered goals. Stefanovic was on hand once again to stop the run, this time skipping a shot from a tight angle that dented the twine and gave Bucknell a 7-5 lead at the break.
It was a defensive battle for much of the third, with Wagner keeping Bucknell off the board and eventually tying the game at seven with 1:48 to go in the third. Shay Gillearn gave Bucknell a bit of the momentum back at the buzzer of the third, as his deflected effort had just enough on it to trickle over the line and give Bucknell an 8-7 lead at the end of three.
Bucknell closed the game strong, scoring three more times unanswered after Gillearn's goal to take an 11-7 lead. Stefanovic converted one more penalty shot, this time with an exclusion drawn by Jack Lewis, for Bucknell's ninth goal before Hasan Mogultay put the finishing touches on a nice entry pass from Andu Vlasceanu for Bucknell's final tally.
Goalkeeper Adrien Touzot made several fine saves in the closing minutes to help preserve the win, limiting the Seahawks to two goals in the period with seconds remaining.
Stefanovic tallied a career-best five goals in the win, while Mogultay added two goals. Matt Ryckman, Jones, and Vlasceanu also added goals.
The Bison return to action next weekend when they travel to Erie, Pennsylvania for four games.
Bucknell improves to 2-1 in MAWPC games after the weekend after defeating Johns Hopkins and falling to Fordham in yesterday's fixtures.
Game One: Bucknell 8, McKendree 7
The Bison overturned a 4-2 halftime deficit into a 6-5 lead at the 2:48 mark of the third in keeping a resilient McKendree team at bay in a one-goal victory at Kinney Natatorium on Sunday morning.
The Bison found themselves tied at two after one quarter on goals by Aleksa Stefanovic and Doruk Ozar, but couldn't find the back of the cage in the second quarter as the Bearcats took a 4-2 lead at the break.
However, Bucknell brought the game even after just one minute into the third, as Andu Vlasceanu scored twice 30 seconds apart to tie the game at four. Vlasceanu then scored once more after the Bearcats tallied a goal to tie the game at five, before Shay Gillearn scored at the 2:48 mark of the third to give Bucknell its first lead since the 2:47 mark of the first.
The Bison maintained the lead the rest of the way, but not without resistance from the Bearcats in the first meeting between the two schools in program history.
Ethan Jones scored a big goal to start the fourth to give the Bison a two-goal cushion, before McKendree brought the game within one once more. Vlasceanu tallied his fourth goal of the game for Bucknell's final goal to give Bucknell an 8-6 lead with 3:21 to go. McKendree kept things close, pulling a goal back with 3:05 remaining, but Bucknell held on for an 8-7 win in the final minutes.
Vlasceanu scored four times in the win, while Gillearn, Jones, Ozar, and Stefanovic each found the back of the cage.
Game Two: Bucknell 11, Wagner 9
Bucknell finished strong in its final contest of the weekend, overpowering Wagner during the home stretch to take an 11-9 win. The Bison outscored the Seahawks 4-1 over the final eight minutes, after a furious Wagner comeback tied the game at seven with 1:48 left in the third.
Bucknell started brightly, taking a 4-2 lead after one and extending that lead to 6-2 at the 5:47 mark of the second quarter on a penalty shot by Aleksa Stefanovic. The first-year scored three penalty shots in the first half, thanks to a determined effort in the center by teammate Doruk Ozar in drawing penalty exclusions throughout the opening 16 minutes.
However, the Seahawks battled back, pulling within one, 6-5, at the 1:27 mark of the second quarter after three unanswered goals. Stefanovic was on hand once again to stop the run, this time skipping a shot from a tight angle that dented the twine and gave Bucknell a 7-5 lead at the break.
It was a defensive battle for much of the third, with Wagner keeping Bucknell off the board and eventually tying the game at seven with 1:48 to go in the third. Shay Gillearn gave Bucknell a bit of the momentum back at the buzzer of the third, as his deflected effort had just enough on it to trickle over the line and give Bucknell an 8-7 lead at the end of three.
Bucknell closed the game strong, scoring three more times unanswered after Gillearn's goal to take an 11-7 lead. Stefanovic converted one more penalty shot, this time with an exclusion drawn by Jack Lewis, for Bucknell's ninth goal before Hasan Mogultay put the finishing touches on a nice entry pass from Andu Vlasceanu for Bucknell's final tally.
Goalkeeper Adrien Touzot made several fine saves in the closing minutes to help preserve the win, limiting the Seahawks to two goals in the period with seconds remaining.
Stefanovic tallied a career-best five goals in the win, while Mogultay added two goals. Matt Ryckman, Jones, and Vlasceanu also added goals.
The Bison return to action next weekend when they travel to Erie, Pennsylvania for four games.
Players Mentioned
ATK
/ Men's Water Polo
UTL
/ Men's Water Polo
ATK
/ Men's Water Polo
CD
/ Men's Water Polo
Center
/ Men's Water Polo
C
/ Men's Water Polo
ATK
/ Men's Water Polo
GK
/ Men's Water Polo
ATK
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