CWPA Releases 2009 Women's Eastern Game Schedule

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- The Collegiate Water Polo Association championship will be decided for the second year in Beantown as Harvard University will host the 2009 Women's Eastern Championship on April 24-26 at the university's Blodgett Pool.

The site of the 2002 and 2007 Men's Eastern Championship, the championship marks the second time in 10 years that the Crimson will host the women's Eastern Championship at Blodgett following the 2003 tournament.

Boasting permanent spectator seating for 1,200, Blodgett Pool has hosted several men's and women's Ivy and Eastern Championships, and was the site of the 57th annual NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships in 1980.

Games will commence at noon on Friday, April 24 as the No. 1 seed will meet the No. 8 seed.  The remainder of the first round games will follow at 1:30 p.m. (No. 4 vs. No. 5), 3:00 p.m. (No. 2 vs. No. 7) and 4:30 p.m. (No. 3 vs. No. 6) with the 2009 Women's Hall of Fame & Awards ceremony following during the evening.

The teams will return to the pool on Saturday, April 25 with the Loser of Game 2 and the Loser of Game 1 meeting at 1:00 p.m. for a berth in the fifth place game.  The other fifth place game berth will be decided at 2:30 p.m. as the Loser of Game 4 and the Loser of Game 3 meet. 

The winners of the first round games will meet in the final two games of the day as the Winner of Game 1 and the Winner of Game 2 clash at 4:00 p.m. in the first semifinal, while the Winner of Game 3 and the Winner of Game 4 face-off at 5:30 p.m. to decide the other conference finalist.

On Sunday, April 26, the Loser of Game 6 and the Loser of Game 5 will meet at 10:00 a.m. for seventh place, while the winner of Game 5 and the Winner of Game 6 lock-up at 11:30 a.m. to decide fifth place.

Third place will be decided at 1:00 p.m. as the Loser of Game 8 and the Loser of Game 7 meet before the conference championship and the automatic bid is decided at 2:30 p.m. as the Winner of Game 7 and the Winner of Game 8 meet to decide which CWPA team will advance to the University of Maryland for the NCAA Championship tournament.

Hotel accomodations and Hall of Fame banquet information will be posted in the coming months once tentative plans are finalized.

The complete championship schedule is available online.