LEWISBURG, Pa. – A balanced scoring ledger and a renewed defensive focus in the second quarter helped the Bucknell University men’s water polo team soar past visiting Mount St. Mary’s University, 18-13, in Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference (MAWPC) action at Kinney Natatorium. It was the first of 16 total games and the first of four for the Bison as part of the three-day Bucknell Invitational.
Freshman Tyler Hedblad, Bucknell’s leading scorer entering the night with 18 goals, paced the Bison with four against the Mountaineers. Sean Tunnicliff scored three times, and Matt Ryckman, Aleksa Stefanovic, Jack Dillane and Shay Gillearn all tallied twice in support of a strong game in goal from Matteo Herrera.
The match got off to a wild start, with a combined nine goals on the board in the first 5:29. Jovan Udovicic gave the Bison a 5-4 lead at that point, and after the Mount drew even again on a Michael Lemishko goal 30 seconds into the second quarter, Bucknell conceded only once more – on a penalty shot – until the middle of the third quarter.
Dillane stuffed home a lob pass from Udovicic to break the five-all tie, and after a defensive stop Tunnicliff fired home from the left side in transition. Hedblad answered the Mount St. Mary’s penalty throw with one of his own, and then Jack Bruce ripped a shot through the hands of the goalie from a sharp angle to give Bucknell a 10-6 lead with only three seconds remaining before halftime.
Herrera started the second half with a big save, and then Hedblad finished a feed from Gillearn to make it 11-6. Later in the frame, Tunnicliff scored back-to-back goals, one on a clean breakaway and another on a penalty shot, for a 13-7 lead.
Mount St. Mary’s pulled within four at 14-10 with a goal late in the third quarter, but the Bison stretched it back out after two feeds from Stefanovic – one to Ryckman and one to Hedblad – in the opening 90 seconds of the fourth quarter.
Release courtesy Bucknell University Athletics Communications
