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Bucknell Set to Compete in Women's Water Polo Eastern Championships this Weekend
April 29, 2005 LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell women's water polo team will travel to Indiana University's Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatic Center to compete in the Eastern Championships this weekend. There will be eight games played throughout the day Saturday, while the champion will be crowned in the last of four games Sunday. Bucknell qualified for the Eastern Championships by placing second in the Southern Championships to receive an automatic berth to the event that will be held in Bloomington, Ind. The Bison won their first two games at the Southern Championships against George Washington and Maryland before the team lost 8-3 to No. 15 Princeton in the finals. The Tigers also received an automatic bid to the Eastern Championships by virtue of winning the title. The other Southern Division team to qualify was George Washington, which received an at-large spot in the eight-team field. The winner of the Eastern Championships automatically advances to the NCAA Championships in Ann Arbor, Mich., May 13-15. The Bison will face second-seeded and 11th-ranked Michigan in its first game Saturday at 12 p.m. If Bucknell defeats the Wolverines, it will play at 8:30 p.m. If the Bison lose, their second game of the day will be at 5:30 p.m. Bucknell has played Michigan six times in its history, but have never won a game against the Wolverines. Seeded seventh, Bucknell is hoping to improve on its best-ever finish of seventh in the event, which was achieved last season. The Bison have qualified for the Eastern Championships four consecutive seasons, and five of the last six. Bucknell, which has won 11 of its last 13 games, has compiled a 22-9 mark this year to set a program record for wins. Bucknell equaled the longest winning streak in the history of the program earlier this year by winning nine games in a row. Seven of the team's nine losses have come to ranked foes. Senior Meg Blitzer has been a force one both offense and defense for the Bison this year. The co-captain already held the program's single-season goals record with 66 last year, and recently became the career leader in goals (190) and points (267). Blitzer leads the team in goals (63), assists (22) and steals (56) this year. Blitzer has had help on the offensive end as four other Bucknell players have tallied at least 30 points. Freshman Meagan Gins has made an immediate impact by scoring 43 goals and registering 54 points to stand second on the team in both categories. Seniors Cody Keffer and Katie Hartigan have also been productive. Keffer, who ranks third on the career goals list with 153, has 28 goals and 21 assists this season. Hartigan has found the back of the net 17 times to go along with her 19 assists. In addition, sophomore Elizabeth Jensen is enjoying strong second season with 14 goals and 18 assists. Like Blitzer, Keffer, Hartigan, and Gins have had a solid defensive season ranking second, third and fourth on the team in steals this season with 27, 25, and 24, respectively. Also on the defensive end, goalie Mandy Bynum has been a key in the back of the defense that has limited opponents to just 160 goals. A native of San Jose, Calif., Bynum has started 24 games and made 211 saves. She has allowed just 134 goals for a save percentage of .612. If she continues on the same pace she will smash her own Bucknell single-season mark of .560 she set last year as a freshman. Classmate Katie Colgan has also seen some time in net and has made 57 saves against 24 goals allowed for a save percentage of .687.
Host Indiana is the top seed in this weekend's field. Michigan (second), Princeton (third) and Hartwick (fourth) round out the list of top-four seeds. Harvard (fifth), Brown (sixth), Bucknell (seventh) and George Washington (eighth) complete the list of teams in the eight-team tournament, which features four ranked teams. Hartwick won last year's Eastern Championships and qualified for the NCAA Championships with a 5-2 win over Michigan in the title game, which was held at Bucknell's Kinney Natatorium.
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