LEWISBURG, Pa. — Aleksa Stefanovic recorded six goals and three assists and David Dumitru logged 15 saves to backstop a smothering defensive effort as the Bucknell University men’s water polo team downed Mercyhurst University n Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference (MAWPC) competition, 20-5, at Kinney Natatorium.
The Bison used a red-hot start to improve to 6-6 overall and 3-1 in the MAWPC. Hasan Mogultay‘s goal just 32 seconds into the match ignited a seven-goal Bucknell flurry in the first 4:31 of play. Peter Vujovic got the Lakers on the board at the 2:35 mark of the opening eight minutes, but two more goals from Jack Bruce and Tyler Hedblad made it 9-1 after one quarter.
Bucknell scored on all but three possessions and had eight different goal-scorers in the first quarter. The Bison could not quite keep up that dizzying scoring pace, but they were in complete control the rest of the way as the defense barely allowed Mercyhurst a sniff of their goal.
Stefanovic scored three of his career-high-tying six goals in the second quarter, including a fastbreak off a long outlet pass from Dumitru with three seconds on the clock that made it a 14-2 game at the half. Dumitru assisted on another Stefanovic goal in the final minute of the third quarter, and then Mogultay scored his second and third goals of the day in the fourth as Bucknell continued to pull away.
Stefanovic’s six goals came on eight shot attempts, as the Bison went 20-for-36 on the day. Jovan Udovicic also picked up a hat trick, Shay Gillearn and Maxime Touzot scored twice each, and Bruce, Hedblad, Matt Ryckman and Greg Nordheim all added one.
The five goals allowed were the fewest by the Bison since a 7-5 win over George Washington in the 2022 MAWPC Championship semifinals.
Release courtesy Bucknell University Athletics Communications
