Kamila Zakirova looks to shoot against Rena Heim

PROVIDENCE, RI  -- Lisa Bass (Sr., Montreal, Quebec), Alyssa Analytis (Sr., Montreal, Quebec) and Sasha Freeborn (Jr., Auckland, New Zealand) each recorded a hat-trick to share Player of the Game honors and help No. 17 Hartwick College overcome Bucknell University by a 15-6 final score to reach the fifth place game of the 2012 Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Eastern Championship.

The victory advances the Hawks (26-12) to a 1:30 p.m. showdown on Sunday, April 29 against the victor a contest between No. 12 Indiana University and Harvard University for fifth place in the field.  Bucknell will meet the loser of the Indiana-Harvard game at noon on April 29 for seventh place.

Facing the Bison for the second time this season after downing Bucknell 15-9 during the regular season, the Hawks opened the game with a scoring flurry

Freeborn began the barrage 1:23 into the contest as she connected on a shot at 6:37.  Analytis followed with natural (5:59) and man-up (4:51) goals before Freeborn tacked on her second score in the opening four minutes of play with a rising blast that drew nothing but net (3:58) for a 4-0 lead 4:02 into the game.

Bucknell cut into the margin at the conclusion of the quarter as Heather Smith (So., Redwood City, Calif./Sacred Heart Prep) took advantage of an advantage chance with 50 seconds on the clock to put away the first of two goals on the afternoon.

However, Hartwick hammered out four more goals to begin the second half as Sami Capparelli (So., Miami, Fla.), Kamila Zakirova (So., Almaty, Kazakhstan) and Shannon Leonard (Sr., Pointe Clair, Quebec) registered natural goals at 6:06, 5:29 and 38 seconds, with a man-up tally by Bass at 1:08 comprising the run.

The Bison pulled back to within six prior to the end of the first half as Krystle Morgan (Jr., Rowland Heights, Calif./Rosary) pushed across a ball with 14 seconds on the clock to make it an 8-2 game.

Bucknell was unable to close further than 8-3 to begin the third period as a suceesful five-meter penalty shot by Taylor Barnett (Fr., Houston, Texas/Clear Lake) 26 seconds into the second half was unanswered by a three-goal outburst to end the Bison hopes of a comeback.

Overall, Hartwick outscored Bucknell 7-4 in the second half, including a 2-0 scoring advantage in the fourth quarter, to take the nine-goal win.

In cage, Haley Cox (Jr., El Segundo, Calif.) made six saves to earn the win, with Bison netminder Rena Heim (So., Mohnton, Pa./Governor Mifflin) turning aside nine shots.

Due to dropping into the fifth place game on the heels of a 7-4 quarterfinal loss to No. 14 University of Maryland on Friday, night, Hartwick is guaranteed to at best equal its lowest finish at the Eastern Championship since becoming a varsity sport and joining the league as the Hawks only placed fifth once before in the field since 2000.

In 2003 at Harvard University, Hartwick knocked off the host Crimson 9-5 OT to claim fifth place in a then 12-team field.  Over the last decade, the Hawks have never finished worse than fifth notching first (2004, 2006, 2007), second (2002, 2008, 2009), third (2001, 2005, 2010) and fourth place (2011) marks.

Hartwick Goals: Sasha Freeborn (3); Alyssa Analytis (3); Lisa Bass (3); Kamila Zakirova (2); Sami Capparelli (2); Shannon Leonard; Allison Kosich

Bucknell Goals: Heather Smith (2); Krystle Morgan (2); Sayeh Bozoroghadad; Taylor Barnett

Saves: Hartwick - Hayley Cox (6) ; Bucknell - Rena Heim (9)

Exclusions: Hartwick - 10 ; Bucknell - 6

Advantage Opportunities: Hartwick - 4-for-6 ; Bucknell - 5-for-10

Sprints: Hartwick - 1-for-4 (First) ; Bucknell - 3-for-4 (Second, Third, Fourth)

Cards: None

Officials: Alex Stankevitch, Val Vasilchikov 

Bucknell University's Hallie Kennan (#14) looks to shoot against Hartwick College