Bucknell University-vs.-Harvard University Scoresheet (PDF)
LEWISBURG, Pa. — Player of the Game Nina Benson (So., Henderson, Nev./Green Valley) and Kali Hyham (Fr., Garden Grove, Calif./Huntington Beach) both posted hat-tricks to earn high-scorer honors as tournament host Bucknell University outdistanced No. 23-ranked Harvard University 6-1 in the second half to claim a 10-5 victory at Kinney Natatorium and earn a spot in the 2018 Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Championship Fifth Place game.
Bucknell (15-18, 3-5 CWPA) will face Brown University at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 29, with hopes of posting the program’s second Top Five finish at the CWPA Championship in the past three years. Since 1999, Bucknell has placed fourth (2006), fifth (2010, 2016), sixth (2008, 2014, 2017), seventh (2004, 2005, 2007, 2011, 2013, 2015), eighth (2003, 2012), ninth (2000) and 11th (2002) at the tournament.
Down 1-0 16 seconds in as Olivia Price (Fr., Lafayette, Calif./Campolindo) of Harvard (16-19, 2-6 CWPA) converted on the opening possession of the game, the Bison evened the score and went in front courtesy Ally Furano (Fr., Stamford, Conn./The Ursuline School) and Hyham who flushed shots with 7:11 and 6:28 remaining in the first quarter to make it 2-1.
The Crimson returned the favor as Sami Strutner (Sr., Redwood City, Calif./Saint Francis) evened the score at 3:36 before Lana Gorlinski (So., Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill) put Harvard back in front (3-2) by converting on a six-on-five opportunity with 1:42 on the clock.
Neither team scored again until the 6:58 mark of the second quarter when Sarah Mooney (Jr., Piedmont, Calif./Piedmont) sliced in the equalizer to balance the scoreboard at three-all. Both teams punched in one more goal in the remaining time of the first half as Hyham placed the Crimson ahead at 4-3 (1:23) before Sofia Carrera-Justiz (So., Coral Gables, Fla./Ransom Everglades) made it a four-all game 57 seconds later (26 seconds) by arching in the tying score.
Knotted at four-all exiting halftime, Bucknell returned to the water reinvigorated as Benson (6:45), Shyla Lintz (Sr., Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) (5:37) and Hyman (3:06) ticked off back-to-back-to-back even-strength tallies to grab a commanding 7-4 lead.
Trailing 8-4 entering the fourth quarter as Benson curved in a man-up marker with 2:07 remaining in the third quarter, the Crimson tried to find its offense as Carrera-Justiz scored 59 seconds into the final frame to snap a 4-0 scoring run by the Bison and move within 8-5.
However, the home team defended its house thanks to consecutive man-up scores by Mooney and Benson with 4:51 and 3:15 to play in regulation for the 10-5 final.
Bucknell, which improves to 2-0 on the year against Harvard following a 9-8 victory on April 14 at Princeton University’s DeNunzio Pool, received three multi-goal games as Mooney deposited a pair to accompany Hyham and Benson’s trios. Furano and Lintz accounted for Bucknell’s other two strikes, while goalie Manuela Herrera (Sr., Windermere, Fla./Olympia) made seven saves to earn the win.
Harvard, which will face George Washington University at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, April 29, in the Seventh Place game, benefited from two goals by Carrera-Justiz and single points from Gorlinski, Strutner and Price. Cleo Harrington (Sr., Costa Mesa, Calif./Newport Harbor) took the loss with eight saves.
The game against GW is the third clash of the year between the Crimson and Colonials as Harvard picked up a 14-8 win on March 25 at Saint Francis University’s Red Flash Tournament before suffering a 14-12 setback on April 14 in league regular season action at Princeton.
In the history of the program, Harvard has never finished lower than eighth at the CWPA/Eastern Championship following previous second (1988, 1990, 1995), third (1989, 1992, 1998, 2000), fourth (1999, 2017), fifth (1993, 1996, 2003, 2004, 2005), sixth (2003, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016), seventh (2001, 2002, 2009, 2012, 2014) and eighth (1997, 2006, 2007, 2010) placements.
| 1st Q | 2nd Q | 3rd Q | 4th Q | – | FINAL | |
| No. 23 Harvard University | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | – | 5 |
| Bucknell University | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | – | 10 |
| Bucknell Goals: | Kali Hyham (3); Natalie Benson (3); Sarah Mooney (2); Ally Furano; Shyla Lintz | |||||
| Harvard Goals: | Sofia Carrera-Justiz (2); Lana Gorlinski; Sami Strutner; Olivia Price | |||||
| Saves: | Bucknell – Manuela Herrera (7) ; Harvard – Cleo Harrington (8) | |||||
| Exclusions: | Bucknell – 6 ; Harvard – 9 | |||||
| Advantage Opportunities: | Bucknell – 3-for-9 ; Harvard – 1-for-6 | |||||
| Sprints: | Bucknell – 1-for-4 (4th) ; Harvard – 3-for-4 (1st, 2nd, 3rd) | |||||
| Cards/Misconducts: | YC – Harvard (Head coach Ted Minnis, 2:30 left in 4th Q) | |||||
| Officials: | Humberto Navarro, Scott Voltz | |||||
Bucknell University’s Emily Konishi (#10) and Harvard University’s Mathilde Ribordy (#6) face-off
Bucknell University’s Colleen Barron (#11) lines up a shot as Harvard University’s Lana Gorlinski (#2) attempts to respond
Harvard University’s Olivia Price (#12) tries to block a shot by Bucknell University’s Marta Considine (#17)
