Bucknell Men's Water Polo Finishes Weekend 3-1 with Thrilling 13-12 Victory Over Wagner

LEWISBURG, Pa. – Bucknell men's water polo capped off a 3-1 weekend at the Bucknell Invitational with a thrilling 13-12 victory over Wagner on Sunday at Kinney Natatorium. The Bison secured wins over fellow Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference rivals Mount St. Mary's (18-13) and Wagner (13-12), along with a dominant performance against McKendree (17-11). Their only setback came against No. 10 Fordham in a 20-9 defeat.

Senior Shay Gillearn wasted no time putting Bucknell on the board against Wagner, scoring less than 40 seconds into the game. The Bison offense saw five players contribute to the scoresheet, with four recording multi-goal performances. Junior Aleksa Stefanovic led the way with an impressive five-goal effort, while Tyler Hedblad added three. Gillearn and freshman Jovan Udovicic each netted two.

In a tightly contested first half, the teams traded goals with neither side pulling ahead by more than one. Bucknell quickly extended their advantage in the second quarter, outscoring the Seahawks 5-2 to take control of the game. The Bison held a slim 8-5 lead at halftime. The Bison carried their momentum into the second half, opening the fourth quarter with a 4-3 run, highlighted by crucial goals from senior Matt Ryckman, Udovicic, and Stefanovic to clinch the victory.

Up next, the Bison will stay at home for a second consecutive weekend at Kinney Natatorium, facing Mercyhurst on Sunday at 2 p.m. The match will be streamed live on YouTube.

Bucknell Men's Water Polo Finishes Weekend 3-1 with Thrilling 13-12 Victory Over Wagner

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Players Mentioned

Shay Gillearn

Tyler Hedblad

Matt Ryckman

Aleksa Stefanovic

Jovan Udovicic