March 2, 2008

ECAC Championship Schedule & Results

LEWISBURG, Pa. - Valentina Rozas (Pico Rivera, Calif./El Rancho) scored the game-tying and game-winning goals late in the fourth quarter to help the Bucknell women's water polo team to a come-from-behind 8-7 victory over Marist in the ECAC Championship title game Sunday afternoon at Kinney Natatorium. It was the first-ever ECAC Championship crown for the Bison, who have placed in the top three at the event three years in a row.

Rozas, who was named MVP of the ECAC Championship game, evened the score at 7-7 when she tallied her third goal of the contest following a restart after a foul with 2:37 to play in the fourth quarter. Just over a minute later, a Marist player was ejected, giving the Bison a six-on-five opportunity. Rozas tipped in a pass from classmate Shana Palencia (Glendale, Calif./Hoover) with 1:13 remaining to put the Bison on top for good.

Goalie Alison Carter (Costa Mesa, Calif./Newport Harbor) preserved the victory for Bucknell. On Marist's next possession, Angie Rampton took a shot as the shot clock wound down, but Carter turned it aside for her career high-tying 11th save. The Bison then ran the shot clock out on their possession, giving Marist the ball with eight seconds left. A last-second shot loft shot by Rampton sailed well over the top of the goal as time expired.

Thanks to a goal by Aubrey Rowe (Carlisle, Pa./Cumberland Valley) 20 seconds into the third quarter, Bucknell held a 5-3 lead. However, the Red Foxes tallied three goals in 79 seconds, including a pair by Maggie Hatcher, to take a 6-5 lead. Bucknell's defense then stepped up and held Marist to one goal over the final 9:49 of play.

Haley Prickett (Newport Beach, Calif./Corona del Mar), Whitney Allen (Hillsborough, Calif./Menlo), Rowe and Palencia joined Rozas in the scoring column with one goal apiece as the Bison equaled their season low for goals in a game. They had not registered fewer than 10 goals in any of their first 12 wins.

Rozas' four goals increased her season total to a team-high 39. She is now just 10 shy of her freshman-year total with the season approximately 50 percent complete.

The victory was the seventh in a row for No. 19 Bucknell, which improved to 13-2 this season, the best start in program history. The seven straight wins are just two shy of equaling the program record established in 2000 and tied in 2005.

The Bison improved to 3-0 against Marist this year. They are now 8-1 all-time against the Red Foxes. They also upped their all-time record in Kinney Natatorium to 32-10.

Bucknell, which has nine Californians on its 14-person roster, will make its annual trip to California in two weeks. The Bison will play Loyola Marymount and Cal State Northridge in addition to playing in the Claremont Convergence.

MARIST        1 2 3 1 -7
BUCKNELL    2 2 2 2 -8

Goals: Rozas (4), Palencia, Prickett, Allen, Rowe.
Assists: Canonica (2), Palencia, Swoyer, Rowe.
Ejections Drawn: Gins (3), Rozas (2), Allen (2), Rowe (2).
Saves: Carter (11 svs., 7 ga., 32:00 min.).
Steals: Carter (3), Palencia (2), Gins (2), Swoyer (2), Rozas, Canonica, Allen, Rowe.
Sprints: Palencia (1-1), Canonica (0-2), Allen (0-1).
Record: 13-2