ERIE, Pa. — The Bucknell University women’s water polo team dropped two games to close out the 2023 Curtis Robinette Memorial Invitational hosted by Mercyhurst University. The Bison fell to La Salle University, 13-11, prior to taking a 16-14 setback versus St. Francis Brooklyn College.
Isabelle Monaghan scored eight goals over the two games to lead Bucknell’s offense.
Against La Salle, the Bison struck first via a Bella Moynihan goal. La Salle grabbed a 2-1 lead before Bucknell equalized it on another Moynihan score. La Salle regained the lead before the Bison scored two straight goals from Boati Motau and Monaghan for a 4-3 advantage. Unfortunately, La Salle scored twice to end the quarter up 5-4.
The Explorers ran their lead to 7-4 before the Bison retaliated with a Megan LaCroix score. Despite a Monaghan score, La Salle retained a three-goal lead at halftime of 9-6.
In the third quarter, the Bison cut the deficit to 10-9, thanks to Chloe Smith‘s goal. Bucknell did not capitalize on the narrow margin, as La Salle would score another goal before the frame ended.
The fourth quarter was a furious affair, with both teams scoring goals. The Bison twice made it a two-goal game after La Salle went up by three. LaCroix’s second goal cut it to 13-11, but time ran out on the Orange & Blue.
In the final game of the weekend for Bucknell against St. Francis Brooklyn, the Bison owned the advantage in the first quarter, 3-2, thanks to a pair of markers by Moynihan.
The switch flipped in the second quarter as the Terriers grabbed the 7-6 lead. Monaghan deposited two of the four Bison goals, with Moynihan and LaCroix providing one score each.
St. Francis Brooklyn used the third quarter to extend its lead and obtain a more comfortable margin. Each time, Bella Schraa, Motau and Monaghan scored, the Terriers responded as SFC entered the fourth quarter with a 13-10 margin.
Gwen Kallmeyer scored twice for the Bison to start the fourth quarter and cut the Terriers’ margin to 13-12.
However, St. Francis regained a three-goal advantage courtesy back-to-back strikes. Kallmeyer attempted to rally the Bison back into the contest by burying her third tally, but the Terriers answered. A goal by Motai was too little too late, as the Bison fell 16-14.
