SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Bucknell University dropped to 10-7 on the season as the Bison opened the Aztec Invitational at No. 20-rankd San Diego State University with losses against No. 16 the University of Michigan, 16-13, and No. 2 the University of Southern California, 18-7.
Olivia Hopper collected 10 goals in the two games to lead the Bison attack.
The Bison gave Michigan more than it expected in a narrow Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) conference defeat as Olivia Hopper scored a game high seven goals.
Michigan took the early lead, scoring seven goals to Bucknell’s three in the opening stanza. Bucknell tied the game at two-all on a Gwen Kallmeyer goal but the Wolverines ended the frame on a 5-1 run.
The Maize & Blue continued to pad its lead in the second quarter, outscoring the Bison 5-3. Bucknell cut the deficit to 11-6 before a Wolverine found the net for the 12-6 halftime advantage.
Bucknell outscored Michigan in the final two quarters. The third quarter saw four Bison goals to the Wolverines’s two. Olivia Hopper tallied two goals, while Hayden Hedstrom and Caitlin Stott each provided one tally.
Michigan went up 16-10 with 5:08 remaining in the game. The Bison defense held the Wolverines scoreless for the remainder of the game as the offense made a late push with three goals. Olivia Hopper scored twice and Bella Schraa added a goal, but time ran out on the Bison prior to completing a comeback.
The second-ranked Trojans lived up to their billing but the Bison defense held USC below their season scoring average.
Olivia Hopper tied the game at one-all and her twin sister Ashley Hopper cut the deficit to 4-3 before USC ended the quarter on a 2-0 run.
USC’s momentum extended into the second quarter, where the Trojans scored five goals to Bucknell’s one.
The Trojans added five more goals in the third quarter to effectively put the chance of an Orange & Blue comeback to rest.
Bucknell held USC to two tallies in the final quarter but Olivia Hopper’s one score was the only Bison answer.
Release courtesy Bucknell University Athletics Communications
