ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Saint Francis water polo team closed the 2021 season with a record-setting win as the Red Flash program earned its highest CWPA Championship finish in team history, placing third Saturday after a consolation game win over Mount St. Mary's.
 
The Red Flash battled with No. 20 Bucknell in a low-scoring semifinal, eventually falling 8-5, before a convincing 17-1 win over Mount St. Mary's in the third-place game.
 
The 16-goal margin of victory was a program record and the one goal allowed was the lowest total in program history. Saint Francis finishes the 2021 season with a program-best .455 winning percentage and cracked the CWPA Top 25 for the first time this spring, climbing to No. 24 on April 14.

Freshman Emese Szucs earned first-team all-tournament honors, while junior Rosalinda Rivera and sophomores Taylor Halbauer and Addison Williams collected second-team accolades.
 
SEMIFINAL: BUCKNELL 8, SAINT FRANCIS 5

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Sophomore Abbie Carter recovered a blocked shot to tie the game at one after an early Bucknell tally. The Bison responded to lead 2-1 through eight minutes.
• The Bison added another before Szucs scored – finding the net for the 21^st consecutive game to begin her collegiate career – to bring the Red Flash back within 3-2 in the second.
• Bucknell led 4-2 at the half and added two more in the third before Carter found Halbauer to get back within 6-3 with 2:08 to play in the third.
• Williams scored on a penalty shot to answer a Bucknell goal and keep the Red Flash within three entering the final period.  
• Halbauer scored with seven seconds remaining for the final 8-5 margin.

STATS/NOTES

• Halbauer scored twice to lead the Red Flash, while Carter, Szucs, and Williams added one goal each.
• Junior Julia Bradford tallied an assist in addition to Carter's.
• Bradford and sophomore Haiden Lang recorded one steal each.
• Rivera played all 32 minutes in goal, recording 12 saves.
• The Red Flash drops to 0-11 all-time against Bucknell.

THIRD-PLACE GAME: SAINT FRANCIS 17, MOUNT ST. MARY'S 1

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Halbauer scored 1:37 into the contest to begin a seven-goal run to open the game. Szucs, Carter, and Bradford followed Halbauer for a 4-0 lead through one.
• Szucs opened the second-period scoring and sophomore Madeleine Voss added on to give the Red Flash a 6-0 advantage midway through the second. Lang scored with 1:25 to go in the second for the 7-0 cushion.
• The Red Flash led 7-1 through 16 minutes and opened the second half on a Voss goal to move in front 8-1, kickstarting a 10-goal run to close the contest.
• Bradford and Szucs helped the Red Flash to double digits before junior Rebecca Pendleton scored the next two for a 12-1 advantage heading to the fourth.
• Williams, Pendleton, Szucs, Bradford, and Rivera scored in the fourth period as the Red Flash sealed the third-place game victory.

STATS/NOTES

• Szucs scored a team-high four goals in the win, while Pendleton and Bradford added three-goal performances and Voss scored twice. Lang, Carter, Halbauer, Williams, and Rivera chipped in to give the Red Flash nine scorers in the win.
• Halbauer and Szucs notched two assists each and Williams added one.
• Halbauer racked up a team-high six steals, while Carter (three) and Williams (two) added multiple-steal efforts. The Red Flash collected 16 steals as a team.
• Rivera recorded three saves in a winning effort before giving way to sophomore Heather Jacobson, who made five saves, and then to sophomore Haley Sanko, who was 2-for-2 on save opportunities.
• Saint Francis improves to 4-0 all-time against Mount St. Mary's.

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To learn more about Saint Francis University, visit francis.edu.