Women's Water Polo Drops Games to Ranked Opponents

Saturday, March 2

Princeton, N.J.

9:30 AM

Bucknell University

Princeton

Women's Water Polo Drops Games to Ranked Opponents

3/2/2024 10:11:00 PM | Women's Water Polo

PRINCETON, N.J. -- The Bucknell women's water polo team started off the weekend with a pair of games against ranked opponents Saturday at Princeton. The Bison fell 15-4 to No.9 Princeton and 15-6 against No.19 Harvard later in the day. Bucknell will face another tough Ivy League foe on Sunday, facing Brown at 10:30 a.m. at Princeton's Blodgett Pool.

Game One: Princeton 15 Bucknell 4

Princeton showed strong determination right from the beginning, opening the game with a dominant 9-1 run in the first half of the morning match. Senior utility player Meera Burghardt scored three goals, securing a hat trick, while six other Tigers each contributed a goal, helping to establish the early lead.

Junior attacker Boati Motau scored the Bison's opening goal to level the score at 1-1, but that would be the team's lone score of the half.

In the second half, the Bison made a concerted effort to narrow the margin, netting three goals, with senior attackers Isabelle Monaghan and Olivia Day contributing, followed by Motau with her second of the game. Despite Bucknell's efforts to rally, the Bison could not close the gap. The Tigers maintained their momentum, adding six more goals to seal the game.

Game Two: Harvard 15 Bucknell 6

Harvard established an early 8-2 lead against Bucknell in game two. The Crimson showcased their adaptability, as six distinct players found the net in the first two quarters. Notably, senior attacker Annabel Facey and sophomore attacker Ruby Hodge each registered two goals during the second quarter

Bucknell got on the scoreboard when Motau scored at 5:44 in the first quarter, and she repeated the feat in the second, securing the Bison's only goals in the opening half.

The Bison showed renewed energy in the second half, but the Crimson netted four goals in the third quarter. Bucknell managed to score one goal from junior attacker Sidney Finkler during this period, and in the closing stages of the game, the Bison scored their final three goals, with two coming from sophomore utility Gwen Kallmeyer and one from sophomore center Bella Schraa.