Bucknell Men's Water Polo Has Sights Set on Eastern Championship this Weekend

Bison Open Three-Day Tournament Friday at 11:30 a.m. vs. Harvard

Jack Else

Nov. 15, 2012

FAN BUS INFORMATION
Eastern Championship Schedule
Video Broadcast
Mark Gensheimer CWPA Hall of Fame Induction

LEWISBURG, Pa. -Fresh off its first-ever Southern Championships title two weeks ago at Kinney Natatorium, the No. 15-ranked Bucknell men's water polo team opens play at this weekend's Eastern Championship Friday at 11:30 a.m. vs. Harvard. The Bison are the No. 1 seed from the South, while the Crimson are the No. 4 seed from the north.

This year's Eastern Championship will take place at Princeton's DeNunzio Pool. The winner of the three-day tournament will advance to the NCAA Championship, which will take place Dec. 1-2 at USC's McDonald's Swim Stadium.

The winner of Friday's Bucknell (15-13)-Harvard (14-17) matchup will advance to Saturday's 4:30 p.m. semifinal against either Brown or Princeton. Sunday's championship game is slated for 2:30 p.m.

The eight-team Eastern Championship field includes four ranked teams: No. 12 St. Francis (N.Y.), No. 14 Brown, No. 15 Bucknell, No. 17 (tie) Navy, No. 17 (tie) Mercyhurst and No. 20 Princeton. Princeton, Navy and St. Francis have combined to claim every Eastern Championship crown since 2003.

Bucknell enters the weekend on a five-game winning streak and is 11-5 over its last 16 outings. Harvard is 2-12 in its last 14 games after opening the season 12-5. The Bison defeated the Crimson 11-3 in their only regular-season meeting at September's North vs. South Invitational.

Bucknell, this weekend, will be attempting to qualify for the NCAA Championship for the sixth time in program history, and the first since 1985.

Freshman Stefan Aleksic leads the Bison in points this year with 92. He is one of six Bucknell players with more than 30 goals and 40 points this season. Brian Barron (52) and Mike Kimble (52) are tied for the team lead in goals.

Junior Alex Nowlin (115 assists) enters the weekend 12 assists shy of 10th place on the Bison career list, while Jack Else already holds both the single-season (123) and career (228) ejections drawn records by wide margins.

Senior goalie Matt Napleton, a two-year starter, has been on a roll of late. He has 15 double-figure save outings and has had a save percentage of better than .500 in 11 consecutive games. His career-high 302 saves this year place him third in the Bucknell record book, while his 633 career stops rank sixth in program history.

Bucknell, which will be participating in its 13th consecutive Eastern Championship, has finished in the top five at the event eight straight years. The Bison finished fifth in 2011.

Tickets for the Eastern Championship are $25 for a weekend pass and $10 for a daily pass. Live video of every game of the Eastern Championship will be broadcast live on the CWPA website. A tournament subscription is $25, while a per game subscription is $10.

Bucknell's Weekly Awards in 2012
CWPA Southern Division Player of the Week
- Brian Barron (Oct. 16, Nov. 7)
CWPA Southern Division Defensive Player of the Week
- Matt Napleton (Sept. 18, Oct. 1, Oct. 16, Oct. 23, Nov. 7)
CWPA Southern Division Rookie of the Week
- Stefan Aleksic (Sept. 4)
Bison Athlete of the Week
- Alex Nowlin (Oct. 1)
- Brian Barron (Oct. 15, Nov. 5)

Bucknell vs. Eastern Championship Field
• Bucknell vs. St. Francis: 4-26 (Terriers have won 22 of last 23 meetings)
• Bucknell vs. Mercyhurst: 8-0 (Bucknell won Southern Championships title game by 9-4 score)
• Bucknell vs. Brown: 21-31-2 (Bucknell has won 11 of last 16 meetings, but Bears won only meeting this year by 12-6 score)
• Bucknell vs. Princeton: 32-44 (Princeton has won 10 of last 13 meetings, but teams are 2-2 over last two years)
• Bucknell vs. MIT: 16-1 (Five meetings since 2005; Bucknell won 2012 matchup 18-12)
• Bucknell vs. Navy: 17-78 (Bucknell is 3-6 in last nine meetings, including 13-11 win at 2012 Southern Championships)
• Bucknell vs. Harvard: 18-7 (Bucknell has won all four meetings last three years by 53-25 margin)

Up Next
• If Bucknell wins the Eastern Championship it will earn a berth to the NCAA Championship for the first time since 1985.

2012 Eastern Championship (DeNunzio Pool - Princeton, N.J.)
Friday, Nov. 16
Game 1 - Bucknell vs. Harvard, 11:30 a.m.
Game 2 - Princeton vs. Brown, 1 p.m.
Game 3 - St. Francis (N.Y.) vs. Navy, 2:30 p.m.
Game 4 - Mercyhurst vs. MIT, 4 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 17
Game 5 - Loser Game 2 vs. Loser Game 1, 1:30 p.m.
Game 6 - Loser Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3, 3 p.m.
Game 7 - Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 4:30 p.m.
Game 8 - Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 6 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 18
7th Place -- Loser Game 6 vs. Loser Game 5, 10 a.m.
5th Place -- Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 11:30 a.m.
3rd Place -- Loser Game 8 vs. Loser Game 7, 1 p.m.
1st Place -- Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8, 2:30 p.m.

Seeds:
North:
1 - St. Francis (N.Y.)
2 - Brown
3 - MIT
4 - Harvard

South:
1 - Bucknell
2 - Mercyhurst
3 - Princeton
4 - Navy