CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — The No. 14-ranked Bucknell University men’s water polo team took a 10-8 decision against Wagner College in Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference (MAWPC)-East action to open the Harvard University Invitational at Blodgett Pool before dropping a 16-14 decision to No. 20 Saint Francis College Brooklyn in the second game of the day.
Andu Vlasceanu, who scored five goals on the day, led the way for the Bison against Wagner as he got things started off on the right foot for Bucknell when he drew an exclusion in the opening seconds of the game. Rade Joksimovic converted the ensuing penalty as Bucknell took a 1-0 lead. Vlasceanu drew another ejection just a few minutes later in the first quarter, this time scoring himself on the ma-up chance as Bucknell doubled its lead. Vlasceanu drew four ejections on the day, a season best for the freshman.
Wagner answered with two goals in a short stretch before Joksimovic scored another penalty shot as Bucknell closed the quarter with a 3-2 lead.
After Wagner tied the game at three, Vlasceanu scored once again on an assist from Cooper Dolan to help Bucknell reclaim the lead in the second quarter. Vlasceanu scored once more to end the half on an assist from Joksimovic as Bucknell led at the break, 5-3.
Vlasceanu’s third straight goal to open the third quarter helped Bucknell to its largest lead of the day at 6-3. Wagner pushed back with two more goals to cut the lead to one, but a goal by Logan Schofield near the end of the frame helped Bucknell regain the two-goal advantage. Wagner found one more goal right at the end of the third quarter as Bucknell went into the final eight minutes of regulation with a narrow 7-6 lead.
The game remained close in the fourth quarter, as Wagner tied the game at eight about halfway through the final quarter. However, Schofield and Joksimovic buried a pair of unanswered goals to end the game.
A strong defensive effort by the Bison, led by 16 saves from reigning MAWPC Rookie of the Week Adrien Touzot, helped Bucknell to its seventh-straight win and improve to 8-1 all-time against the Seahawks.
Joksimovic (three), Vlasceanu (five) and Schofield (two) combined for all of Bucknell’s goals, while Dolan added two assists on the day.
The Bison were not as lucky against the Terriers of St. Francis Brooklyn in the nightcap.
Bucknell held a three-goal lead entering the fourth quarter, but five straight goals from the Terriers allowed SFC to rally for a 16-14 victory.
The Bison jumped out to a 4-2 lead thanks two two goals from Joksimovic, as well as individual tallies from Cullen Jacuzzi and Jack Lewis.
After a goal by the Terriers cut the Bison lead to one, Bucknell began the second quarter with four straight goals to extend its advantage to five, 8-3. Joksimovic scored two of the goals during the run, while Schofield and Dolan each provided solo tallies.
Bucknell kept its five-goal lead entering the break, with Schofield answering a late Saint Francis goal on an assist from Joksimovic to take a 9-4 lead at halftime.
Jared Stanley scored the opening goal of the second half as Bucknell took its largest lead of the day at 10-4.
The margin did not dwindle through much of the third quarter as Bucknell kept a five-goal advantage late into the third after another goal by Jacuzzi put the Bison up 13-8 with just a few minutes remaining in the frame.
However, St. Francis Brooklyn began its comeback to close the third quarter by scoring two straight to pull within three at 13-10 heading into the final eight minutes of regulation.
Matheus Santos moved the Terriers within two at 13-11, but Dolan found the back of the cage on a pass from Jacuzzi to keep the three-goal advantage at the beginning of the fourth quarter.
The Terriers made their run with to close the fourth, however, by rattling off five unanswered goals to hand Bucknell its first loss since a 17-15 setback versus No. 16 Fordham University at home in Kinney Natatorium on September 21 during the Bison Invitational. The loss snaps a seven-game winning streak for Bucknell, and evens the Bison record at 3-3 against St. Francis Brooklyn in their last six matchups.
Release courtesy Bucknell University Athletics Communications
