Princeton University-vs.-Bucknell University Scoresheet
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Lindsey Kelleher (Sr., South Pasadena, Calif./Polytechnic) scored four times in the third quarter to claim Player of the Game honors as No. 15-ranked Princeton University built an early lead and never looked back to topple No. 21 Bucknell University, 11-5, in the semifinals of the 2019 Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Championship at Brown University’s Katherine Moran Coleman Aquatics Center.
Courtesy the win, Princeton (20-8) picks up its 20th win of the season and earns a Noon date on Sunday, April 28, back at the Moran Aquatics Center against the victor of a semifinal between No. 6 University of Michigan and No. 16 Harvard University with the league championship on the line. A Princeton-Michigan title tilt will mark the third consecutive year the two powerhouses have clashed, while Harvard has not played for the league crown since 1995 – prior to when women’s water polo was a recognized National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sport.
The 2000, 2012, 2013 and 2015 CWPA Champion and five-time runner-up (2001, 2007, 2014, 2017, 2018) Tigers needed to overcome an early deficit against the Bison (24-12) as Emily Konishi (Sr., Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill) drilled in a shot 15 seconds into the game to stake Bucknell to an early 1-0 margin.
The Tigers clawed their way back, however, as Annie Robinson (Fr., Riverside, Conn./Greenwich) cashed in on a man-up opportunity at 5:03 to balance the scoreboard at one-all. From there, Princeton dominated the remainder of the opening quarter as Maddie Pendolino (So., Burlingame, Calif./Sacred Heart Prep) put away a man-up goal at 2:14 before Eliza Britt (Sr., Newport Beach, Calif./Corona del Mar) and Sarah Lawson (So., Newport Beach, Calif./Corona del Mar) swished even-strength scores with 2:00 and 27 seconds on the clock, respectively, for a 4-1 lead after eight minutes of action.
Princeton padded its margin to 5-1 prior to halftime as Pendolino pushed across a point at the three minutes mark for the only goal of the second quarter.
Bucknell delivered an answer 33 seconds into the third quarter as Ally Furano (So., Stamford, Conn./The Ursuline School) converted on a six-on-five chance (7:27) to move within 5-2, but Princeton inflated the gap to five as Kelleher cracked in man-up (7:04) and natural (6:08) shots to make it 7-2.
Ally Furano shaved the Bison’s deficit back to four (7-3) at 5:24, but Kelleher returned the lead to five twice in the final 78 seconds of the third quarter by burying even-strength opportunities at 1:18 (8-3) and 16 seconds (9-4) to sandwich a strike by Konishi (51 seconds, 8-4).
Leading by five going into the final eight minutes of the contest, Princeton eliminated any chance of a dramatic Bucknell comeback as Amy Castellano (Jr., Yorba Linda, Calif./Yorba Linda) and Britt bombed in blasts at 6:59 and 6:04, respectively, to widen the gap to 11-4.
Bucknell closed out the scoring with 41 seconds remaining on the clock as Paige Furano (Fr., Stamford, Conn./The Ursuline School) notched a man-up score to establish the 11-5 final.
For Princeton, Kelleher (four), Britt (two) and Pendolino (two) each recorded multi-goal games, while Lawson, Robinson and Castellano all added solo markers. Goalie Marissa Webb (So., Danville, Calif./San Ramon) earned the win with 12 saves.
On the other end of the tank, Konishi and Ally Furano both notched two goals to go along with a single tally by Paige Furano. Georgia Lewis (Fr., Redwood, Calif./The Castilleja School) took the loss with one save.
The loss drops Bucknell into a 10:30 a.m. Third Place game on Sunday, April 28, against the loser of the Michigan-Harvard game. Historically, Bucknell is guaranteed to at least tie its all-time best finish at the championship – with the possibility of establishing a new high spot – as the Bison have placed fourth (2006), fifth (2010, 2016, 2018), sixth (2008, 2014, 2017), seventh (2004, 2005, 2007, 2011, 2013, 2015), eighth (2003, 2012), ninth (2000) and 11th (2002) in the many versions of the CWPA/Eastern Championship since 1999.
| 1st Q | 2nd Q | 3rd Q | 4th Q | – | FINAL | |
| Bucknell University | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | – | 5 |
| Princeton University | 4 | 1 | 4 | 2 | – | 11 |
| Princeton Goals: | Lindsey Kelleher (4); Eliza Britt (2); Maddie Pendolino (2); Sarah Lawson; Annie Robinson; Amy Castellano | |||||
| Bucknell Goals: | Emily Konishi (2); Ally Furano (2); Paige Furano | |||||
| Saves: | Princeton – Marissa Webb (12) ; Bucknell – Georgia Lewis (1) | |||||
| Exclusions: | Princeton – 15 ; Bucknell – 10 | |||||
| Advantage Opportunities: | Princeton – 3-for-10 ; Bucknell – 2-for-15 | |||||
| Sprints: | Princeton – 0-for-4; Bucknell – 4-for-4 | |||||
| Cards/Misconducts: | None | |||||
| Officials: | Alex Stankevitch; JR Perez | |||||
2019 Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Hall of Fame inductee Elyse Colgan prepares to drop the ball for the opening sprint
Bucknell University’s Ally Furano (#6)
Bucknell University’s Paige Furano (#4)
Bucknell University’s Emily Konishi (#10) defends Princeton University’s Nicole Kressich (#4)
Princeton University’s Marissa Webb (#1) goes up for a save as Eliza Britt (#10) and Amy Castellano (#12) defend
