ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The No. 22-ranked Bucknell University women’s water polo team ran its win streak to six games with a pair of wins at the University of Michigan’s Wolverine Invitational. Bucknell started the day with a 13-6 win over Iona College in the first game of the Wolverine Invite at Canham Natatorium.Bucknell was led by Kali Hyham, who scored five goals in her first game since winning Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division I Player of the Week laurels two weeks ago. The Bison then followed up that game with a 10-7 victory over CWPA rival Saint Francis University in the nightcap.
Bucknell, which now wants at 12-1 for the best start in program history, began the first game versus by Iona by hitting the post and having a penalty shot saved before Ally Furano found the breakthrough at the 4:21 mark of the first quarter. The goal kick started a 3-0 run for the Bison, with Hyham adding a goal 40 seconds later before a penalty shot from A. Furano at the 3:09 mark.
Iona got on the board with 2:03 left in the first quarter on a goal by Danielle Hernandez, but it was all Bucknell to close the rest of the first half, as the Bison scored four unanswered in the second period in a span of just over five minutes.
Paige Furano scored Bucknell’s first of the second quarter just 30 seconds in after Nina Benson won the opening sprint. P. Furano then added her second goal of the day at the 3:22 mark as Bucknell scored three goals in a little over a minute to take a commanding 7-1 lead at the half.
Benson scored a goal of her own at the 7:33 mark of the third to extend the Bucknell lead to 8-1 as the Bison went on to cruise to a 13-6 win.
Senior Hayley Pogue made her first start of the season in the win, making eight saves. Hyham continued her strong run of form with five goals, and has now scored five or more goals in five straight games. A. Furano added four goals and an assist, while Benson notched a goal and dished out three assists. The win is the fifth-straight in the series against the Gaels for the Bison, who improve to 10-6 all-time against Iona.
Taking on fellow CWPA institution Saint Francis in a non-league game, Bucknell found itself trailing in this one early on, as Erin O’Neill scored for the Red Flash at the 5:39 mark of the first quarter for the Bison’s first deficit since a defeat to Wagner College on February 9.
The Bison responded with an equalizing goal after a penalty foul allowed A. Furano to tie the game at one from a five-meter shot. The junior then gave Bucknell the lead with 24 seconds remaining in the first period on another penalty shot after hitting the post just a few seconds beforehand.
The two goals helped spark a 5-0 Bucknell run as the Bison took a 5-1 lead midway through the second.
P. Furano opened the scoring in the second period on an assist from Benson just 30 seconds in, before A. Furano’s third penalty shot and a goal by Hyham 43 seconds apart gave Bucknell a 5-1 advantage. P. Furano then responded to a goal by the Red Flash for her second of the day as Bucknell took a 6-2 lead at the break.
P. Furano scored her third with 6:44 left in the third period as Bucknell extended its lead to five goals. SFU pulled within four, 7-3, with 3:45 to go in the third, but two straight goals from A. Furano helped Bucknell take a 9-3 lead en route to a 10-7 victory.
A. Furano scored six times in the win, while P. Furano added a hat trick. Hyham scored Bucknell’s other goal. Benson and Gigi Rojahn each added two assists as the Bison picked up their 12th win of the season. Pogue made three saves in the victory.
Release courtesy Bucknell University Athletics Communications
