PRINCETON, N.J. — The Bucknell University men’s water polo team dropped a pair of high-scoring games to ranked opponents at the 2024 Princeton Invitational hosted by Princeton University at DeNunzio Pool. The Bison fell 16-12 to No. 15-ranked Harvard University in an early morning match, then dropped a 20-16 contest to No. 19 Santa Clara University despite seven goals from freshman Tyler Hedblad.
Bucknell falls to 2-4 on the season, with all four losses coming to Top-20 opponents.
In the Harvard game, Bucknell trailed 4-3 after one quarter and 8-5 by halftime before the Crimson stretched its lead by outscoring the Bison 5-2 in the third quarter.
Aleksa Stefanovic led the Bison with four goals, followed by Matt Ryckman with three and Jovan Udovicic with two. Hedblad, Maxime Touzot and Hasan Mogultay tallied one each, and goalie David Dumitru made 11 saves.
Hedblad logged a career-high seven goals against Santa Clara later in the day, and the Bison hung within arms reach after trailing 7-4 after one quarter. It was 12-9 at the half and 15-13 after three before Santa Clara had a 5-3 edge in the fourth quarter.
Hedblad’s seven goals were the most scored by a Bison this season. Stefanovic, Mogultay and Shay Gillearn tallied two apiece, and Udovicic, Ryckman and Sean Tunnicliff also found the cage. Dumitru saved six shots.
Touzot paced Bucknell with seven ejections drawn over the two games.
Release courtesy Bucknell University Athletics Communications
