Alison Carter

PRINCETON, N.J. -- Alison Carter (Sr., Costa Mesa, Calif./Newport Harbor) recorded 15 saves and Shana Palencia (Sr., Glendale, Calif./Hoover) tallied a pair of fourth-quarter goals as the Bucknell University women’s water polo team defeated Harvard University 9-7 on Sunday, February 28 at the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championship at Princeton University’s DeNunzio Pool. The victory secured a fifth-place finish at the event for the Bison.

Bucknell (5-2) and Harvard were tied at the end of the first and second quarters, but the Bison outscored the Crimson 6-4 in the second half. Both of Palencia’s goals came in the final period, one at even strength and one in a six-on-five situation.

Carter’s 15 saves marked her fifth double-figure save performance in seven games this season, and it was the second-highest total in her career. She finished the three-game weekend with 40 stops and now has 82 this year.

Kandis Canonica (Jr., Burlingame, Calif./St. Ignatius Prep) and Hallie Kennan (So., Palo Alto, Calif./Palo Alto) joined Palencia with a pair of goals in the contest. Erica White (Fr., Orinda, Calif./Miramonte), Valentina Rozas (Sr., Pico Rivera, Calif./El Rancho) and Haley Prickett (Jr., Newport Beach, Calif./Corona del Mar) each added one score apiece. Canonica also dished out two assists, bringing her to within one of Adrienne Schober’s career record of 142.

Bucknell, which lost to the University of Maryland (10-5 L) and defeated Iona College (17-16 W OT) on Saturday, was 5-for-11 in six-on-five situations Sunday, while Harvard earned just three extra-man opportunites and converted all three.

Freshman Krystle Morgan (Rowland Heights, Calif./Rosary) made her first career start for the Bison and had two steals and drew one ejection.

Release courtesy Bucknell Athletic Communications