Wagner's Dominant First Quarter Sinks Men's Water Polo in First Round of MAWPC Championships

BRONX, N.Y.- Bucknell men's water polo fell behind 7-1 after the first quarter and the Wagner Seahawks coasted to the 21-13 win in the opening round of the MAWPC Championships on Friday night. The fourth-seeded Bison defeated fifth-seeded Wagner twice during the regular season but the Seahawks proved the conventional wisdom of the difficulty of vanquishing a team three times in a season truthful in this occasion. The loss dropped the Orange & Blue in the consolation round where they will face seventh-seeded Mercyhurst tomorrow.

First Team All-MAWPC member Aleksa Stefanovic led Bucknell with four goals.

Bucknell (10-16) fought back and cut the deficit to 12-9 in the third quarter. Wagner (12-16) dashed any comeback hopes with a 3-0 rally as part of an extended 7-1 run to restore its massive lead.

The Seahawks blitzed the Bison by flying out to a 6-0 lead before Bucknell's Tyler Hedblad, who earned Second Team All-MAWPC, recorded the first Orange & Blue answer.

Bucknell recovered in the second period and outscored Wagner 6-5 to trail 12-7 at halftime.

Stefanovic and Sean Tunnicliff scored the first two goals after halftime to position Bucknell for the mentioned comeback. Wagner declined the invitation to lose a third heartbreaker to the Bison.

Wagner advanced to face the top seed and host Fordham tomorrow night. Bucknell will play Mercyhurst at 1 p.m.

Wagner's Dominant First Quarter Sinks Men's Water Polo in First Round of MAWPC Championships

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Players Mentioned

Tyler Hedblad

Aleksa Stefanovic

Sean Tunnicliff