March 1, 2008

ECAC Championship Schedule & Results

LEWISBURG, Pa. - Kandis Canonica (Burlingame, Calif./St. Ignatius Prep) broke the school single-game record with six assists and came within one of the program's single-game points record with nine as she helped the No. 19 Bucknell women's water polo team advance to the ECAC Championship title game with a 17-11 victory over Wagner Saturday evening at Kinney Natatorium.

The Bison, who are the top seed in the eight-team field, will face second-seeded Marist in the championship game Sunday at noon. Bucknell, which at 12-2 is off to the best start in program history, is already 2-0 against the Red Foxes this season.

Just a freshman, Canonica had perhaps the best statistical game of her career with three goals and six assists. The previous record of five assists in a game had been accomplished five other times in the history of the program, including once by Canonica earlier this year. All three of her goals came in the first quarter when the Bison built a 6-4 lead.

Bucknell led by as many as six goals (12-6) in the second half, but the Seahawks went on a 4-0 run to close the Bison advantage to 12-10 early in the fourth quarter.

Meagan Gins (Albuquerque, N.M./Valley) went over the 300-point plateau for her career as she tallied eight points (5g, 3a) in the win. She now has 209 career goals and 92 career assists for 301 total points. Valentina Rozas (Pico Rivera, Calif./El Rancho) also nearly had a milestone as she notched a game-high and equaled her career high with six goals, a figure that is just one shy of the program record.

Aubrey Rowe (Carlisle, Pa./Cumberland Valley) added one goal and three assists as Bucknell netted at least 10 goals for the 12th time in its 12 victories this season.

Alison Carter (Costa Mesa, Calif./Newport Harbor) made seven saves in goal for the Bison, who defeated Wagner for the second consecutive weekend, and for the eighth time in eight all-time meetings. Haley Prickett (Newport Beach, Calif./Corona del Mar) and Rozas were strong in front of Carter with four steals apiece. Carter registered four steals of her own.

Bucknell, which has finished in the top three at the ECAC Championship each of the last two years, will be going for its first-ever ECAC Championship title Sunday when it faces Marist.

WAGNER      4 2 2 3 -11
BUCKNELL    6 2 4 5 -17

Goals: Rozas (6), Gins (5), Canonica (3), Palencia, Prickett, Rowe.
Assists: Canonica (6), Gins (3), Rowe (3), Palencia, Swoyer, Rozas, Carter.
Ejections Drawn: Rozas (5), Gins, Swoyer, Prickett, Allen.
Saves: Carter (7 svs., 11 ga., 32:00 min.).
Steals: Palencia (4), Prickett (4), Carter (4), Swoyer (3), Rozas (2), Gins, Canonica, Allen, Rowe.
Sprints: Palencia (0-1), Swoyer (0-1), Canonica (0-1), Rowe (0-1).
Record: 12-2