March 15, 2008

CLAREMONT, Calif. - The No. 20 Bucknell women's water polo team converted 10 of 13 six-on-five opportunities and scored 10 goals in the middle two quarters as it snapped a two-game losing streak with a 13-11 victory over Cal State San Bernardino Saturday in its first contest at the two-day Claremont Convergence. The Bison improved to 15-4 on the season and will play Claremont-Mudd-Scripps at 9:40 p.m. Eastern.

Aubrey Rowe (Carlisle, Pa./Cumberland Valley) registered at least six points for the third time this season as she tallied three goals and three assists in the victory. Valentina Rozas (Pico Rivera, Calif./El Rancho) equaled Rowe for the team lead with three goals, while Shana Palencia (Glendale, Calif./Hoover) equaled her career high with four steals and was one of five Bison with at least three points as she tallied two goals and one assist. Rozas has a team-high 46 goals this season, a figure that is just three shy of her freshman-year total that ranked third on the squad.

Alison Carter (Costa Mesa, Calif./Newport Harbor) racked up a career-high 11 saves for the fourth time this season as she increased her season total to 127. She also contributed three assists and one steal. Bucknell compiled an impressive 16 steals in the game.

Meagan Gins (Albuquerque, N.M./Valley) was one of three Bucknell players - along with Rozas and Whitney Allen (Hillsborough, Calif./Menlo) - to draw multiple ejections. Gins piled up four, while Rozas had three and Allen two. Those three have combined to draw 111 ejections this year.

Bucknell's offense clicked especially well in the middle two quarters as it racked up 10 of its 13 goals in the middle 16 minutes of play. The Coyotes tallied eight goals over that same stretch.

The victory for the Bison snapped Cal State San Bernardino's six-game winning streak as the Wolves fell to 12-7 on the year.

Bucknell, which is slated to play four games this weekend at the Claremont Convergence, will face Claremont-Mudd-Scripps at 9:40 p.m. Eastern time on Saturday. The Bison are 2-1 all-time against the Athenas.

BUCKNELL                               1 4 6 2 -13
CAL STATE SAN BERNARDINO     2 3 5 1 -11

Goals: Rowe (3), Rozas (3), Palencia (2), Prickett (2), Gins, Swoyer, Canonica.
Assists: Rowe (3), Canonica (2), Palencia, Gins, Prickett, Carter.
Ejections Drawn: Gins (4), Rozas (3), Allen (2), Palencia, Swoyer, Canonica, Prickett.
Saves: Carter (11 svs., 11 ga., 32:00 min.).
Steals: Palencia (4), Carter (3), Gins (2), Prickett (2), Rowe (2), Rozas, Canonica, Allen.
Sprints: Rowe (1-1), Palencia (0-1), Swoyer (0-1), Canonica (0-1).
Record: 15-4