LEWISBURG, Pa. — The Bucknell University men’s water polo enjoyed its return to the comforting home waters of Kinney Natatorium by recording two wins on the first day of the Bucknell Invitational. The Bison defeated Salem University, 18-15, and grounded the United States Air Force Academy, 12-10. The wins snapped Bucknell’s three-game losing streak.
Aleksa Stefanovic led the way for Bucknell’s potent offense against Salem by scoring seven of his team’s 18 goals on a 70% shooting clip. The Bison shot 18-of-30 in the high-scoring affair.
Stefanovic drew first blood but the Tigers clawed back into the competition and forged ahead 6-4. Stefanovic rose to the occasion and scored with 15 seconds remaining.
The Bison used the momentum to regain the lead at 8-7. Salem responded with a 2-0 run. The Orange & Blue countered its own 2-0 segment for the 10-9 halftime lead. Jovan Udovicic tallied the go-ahead score. He was consistently present scoring a goal in every quarter.
Bucknell’s run extended into the third quarter turning into a 5-0 stretch and a 13-9 lead. Salem scored twice but the Bison answered their roar and led 15-12 entering the final period.
Salem twice squeezed within two points twice 16-14 and 17-15. The Bison refused to let its lead slip away and Stefanovic added the final insurance goal at 1:25 for the 18-15 win.
Aganst Air Force, David Dumitru recorded 19 saves against the high-flying Falcons.
Air Force grabbed the early 3-1 lead and looked ready to breakaway before Stefanovic and Jack Dillane tied the game. The Falcons scored again before the first quarter ended.
The Bison scored two goals to take its first lead. Air Force reverted the trend and went on a 3-0 run. Jack Murad tallied a pivotal goal before halftime to boost the flagging Orange & Blue spirits.
Bucknell tied the game at 7-7 and then the teams started trading goals as neither squad could create any separation. Ori Raz tied the contest at 10-10 early in the fourth quarter.
The offenses went silent under intense defensive pressure before Dillane scored his third goal at the 3:46 mark. Dumitru upped his already spectacular play in the pen by swatting away Falcon shots. The Bison defense and Dumitru held Air Force scoreless in the final stanza.
Tyler Hedblad added a crucial insurance goal for the Bison’s first two-tally lead. Air Force kept firing shots that Dumitru turned into blanks. A crucial red card on an Air Force assistant coach at 1:04 gave the ball back to Bucknell and essentially sealed the win for the Bison and a vocal Kinney crowd.
Release courtesy Bucknell University Athletics Communications
