UCLA
UC Irvine
UCLA Tops UCI in 2OT Thriller, 8-7
February 16, 2018 | Women's Water Polo
IRVINE, Calif. โ The No. 4 UCLA women's water polo team defeated No. 7 UC Irvine in double overtime, 8-7, at the Anteater Aquatics Complex Friday. Maddie Musselman scored the game-winning goal with 1:42 remaining in the second extra frame.
The first half was a seesaw battle, with Lizette Rozeboom striking first off a feed from Devin Grab (5:21). UCI's Julie Swieca responded at 3:54 to knot the game at 1-1 and cap first-quarter scoring. The Bruins took advantage of power-play opportunities, as Grab (4:20) and Musselman (3:48) sandwiched a pair of extra-player goals around an even-strength strike by UCI's Keane Eldridge. Tara Prentice added another for the Anteaters with 1:09 to go to send the teams into the break tied, 3-3.
The Bruin offense came alive to open the second half, as Rozeboom (7:33 - power play), Bronte Halligan (5:47) and Musselman (5:07) scored the first three goals to double up the home Anteaters. Bruin goalkeeper Carlee Kapana kept UCI scoreless in the third and was a force throughout the game, totaling 13 saves.
Just as the Bruin offense caught fire in the third, the Anteater attack did the same in the fourth. Cara Borkovec (7:04), Natalie Seidemann (5:38) and Allie Loomis (5:02) each registered an even-strength goal to tie the game, 6-6, before the defenses took over. Another goal was not scored until the 1:50 mark, when Loomis capitalized on an extra-player opportunity to give the Anteaters their first lead of the game. For the second time in the last week, though, Rozeboom was clutch, scoring the game-tying goal with 1:06 remaining and the Bruins up a player. A missed shot by Prentice sent the game to overtime.
There, neither team could break through. The Bruins missed three shots, while the Anteaters misfired on one and turned the ball over twice. Unable to score, the teams went to a second overtime.
Just over a minute into the second overtime period, Musselman put an end to the slump. On a player advantage, the sophomore secured her third hat trick of the season, getting one past Morgan Jones off the feed from Grab.
Friday's game marked the first of five straight for the Bruins in Orange County. The Anteaters will play host to its annual Barbara Kalbus Invitational Friday, Feb. 23-Sunday, Feb. 25, with games played at UC Irvine and Corona del Mar High School. UCLA will open play Friday against No. 17 UC Santa Barbara (1:45 p.m.).
No. 4 UCLA 8, No. 7 UC Irvine 7
No. 4 UCLA (1, 2, 3, 1, 0, 1 โ 8)
GOALS: Musselman, Rozeboom โ 3; Grab, Halligan โ 1
No. 7 UC Irvine (1, 2, 0, 4, 0, 0 โ 7)
GOALS: Loomis โ 2; Borkovec, Eldridge, Prentice, Seidemann
