UCLA
Michigan
No. 3 UCLA Splits a Pair in Irvine
February 23, 2019 | Women's Water Polo
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IRVINE, Calif. -- No. 3 UCLA (16-2) split a pair of games on Saturday at the Barbara Kalbus Invitational with a dominant 15-5 victory over No. 6 Michigan in the afternoon and then suffering a 10-4 setback to No. 2 Stanford in the semifinals in the evening at UC Irvine Aquatics Center. All 16 teams in the field are nationally ranked with every team in the Top 10 represented.
In the win over the Wolverines, the Bruins were led by junior Maddie Musselman who scored a hat trick. Other Bruins with multiple goals included senior Sarah Sheldon, freshmen Bella Baia, sophomore Roxy Wheaton and junior Bronte Halligan, each with two scores. Senior Carlee Kapana started in goal for UCLA, playing the first three quarters and recording nine saves while allowing three goals. Sophomore Jahmea Bent came in for relief in the fourth quarter and tallied three saves while surrendering two scores.
UCLA and Michigan battled to a 1-1 tie in the first period. Abby Andrews gave Michigan its only lead of the game with a power play goal (3:01) to make it 1-0. UCLA knotted the score at 1-1 when Halligan scored from the front court (0:27) to end the scoring in the first.
The second quarter was all UCLA as the Bruins posted five goals on the scoreboard while pitching a shutout. Sophomore Myna Simmons scored on a counter (5:44), followed by two scores from Musselman, a power play strike (4:43) and a counter attack score (1:43) to make it 4-1 Bruins. UCLA netted two scores from the front court to end the scoring in the period with Wheaton (1:02) and sophomore Lexi Liebowitz (0:08) finding the back of the net to give UCLA a 6-1 lead at halftime.
Musselman completed her hat trick with a power play goal (4:36) and then freshman Val Ayala scored from the front court (2:40) to cap the Bruins' eight consecutive goal scoring streak. The Bruins received two more goals in the period, a two meter score from Sheldon (1:46) and a counter score from Wheaton (1:15), her second of the contest, to give UCLA a 10-3 lead heading into the fourth period.
The final period saw UCLA put up another five goals on the board. The Bruins led 12-4 after back-to-back counter attack goals by Halligan (5:33), her second of the game, and by Baia (4:57). UCLA led 14-4 after Baia scored her second from the front court (2:47) and freshman Katrina Drake capitalized on a power play (1:39). After a score by Michigan, Sheldon scored her second from two meters (0:48) to provide the 15-5 final.
No. 6 Michigan vs. No. 3 UCLA (Barbara Kalbus Invitational - Quarterfinals)
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| No. 6 Michigan | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| No. 3 UCLA | 1 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 15 |
6x5 - UCLA - 3/6 - UM - 2/10
Penalties - UCLA - 0/0 - UM - 0/0
UM Goals: Kayla Barone 2, Emily Ritner 1, Ava Morrant 1, Abby Andrews 1
UM Saves: Heidi Ritner 9
UCLA Goals: Maddie Musselman 3, Sarah Sheldon 2, Bella Baia 2, Roxy Wheaton 2, Bronte Halligan 2, Val Ayala 1, Myna Simmons 1, Katrina Drake 1, Lexi Liebowitz 1
UCLA Saves: Carlee Kapana 9, Jahmea Bent 2
In the loss to the Cardinal, the Bruins were led by junior Maddie Musselman who scored two goals. Senior Carlee Kapana started in goal for UCLA, going the distance and recording 11 saves while allowing 10 goals.
Stanford jumped out to a 4-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. UCLA battled to a 1-1 tie in the second, trailing 5-1 at the break. Junior Bronte Halligan scored UCLA's only goal of the first half from the front court (2:20).
Freshman Val Ayala would pull UCLA to within four goals at 6-2 on a power play (2:56), but the Bruins would get no closer. Musselman found the back of the net from the front court (0:15) to end the scoring in the third period with Stanford leading 8-3.
The Cardinal won the fourth period, 2-1. Musselman netted her second of the game, converting a penalty shot (5:33), to help provide the 10-4 final.
UCLA returns to action tomorrow when it faces No. 4 California in the third-place game at 11:30 a.m. PT.
No. 3 UCLA vs. No. 2 Stanford (Barbara Kalbus Invitational - Semifinals)
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| No. 3 UCLA | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| No. 2 Stanford | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 10 |
6x5 - UCLA - 1/11 - STAN - 2/6
Penalties - UCLA - 1/1 - STAN - 0/0
UCLA Goals: Maddie Musselman 2, Bronte Halligan 1, Val Ayala 1
UCLA Saves: Carlee Kapana 11
STAN Goals: Makenzie Fischer 5, Kat Klass 2, Sarah Klass 2, Ryann Neushul 1
STAN Saves: Emalia Eichelberger 10
