UCLA
Michigan
No. 5 UCLA Gets Defensive in 12-4 Win at No. 7 Michigan
January 25, 2020 | Women's Water Polo
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. --ย No. 5 UCLA (6-1) used a dominant defensive effort for three quarters to pick up its first true road win of the season with a 12-4 victory at No. 7 Michigan (3-3) in the secondย game of the Michigan Invitational on Saturday afternoonย at the Canham Natatorium. The Bruins improved to 27-0 all-time against the Michigan Wolverines.
The Bruins were led by a second-consecutiveย hat trick from freshman Abbi Hill, the third of her young career, while freshman Hannah Palmer and sophomore Katrina Drake each scored twice. Redshirtย freshman Georgia Phillips played the entire game in the cage for the Bruins, tallying a season-high-tying nine saves while giving up four goals.
UCLA pitched a shutout and led 2-0 at the end of the first period. Hill gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead when she converted a penalty shot at the 6:23 mark of the opening quarter. Sophomore Ava Johnson ended the scoring in the first with a goal at set (0:34).
Another strong defensive effort by the Bruins followed in the second period with another shutout of the Wolverines' offense.ย Drake scored from two meters (3:51) to put UCLA up 3-0.ย Palmer then recorded a steal and then got the counter goal (2:50) to make it 4-0 Bruins. Junior attacker Roxy Wheaton put the Bruins out in front by a score of 5-0 with a goal from the front court (2:00) and then senior defender Brooke Maxsonย got offensive with her first goal of the game (1:12, front court) to end the scoring in the second quarter with the Bruins leading 6-0 at the break.
Palmer opened the scoring in the third quarter with her second goal of the game (5:50 - front court) to put UCLA up 7-0. But the Wolverines' Ava Morrant converted on a penalty shot (5:21) to get Michigan on the board and that seemed to open the flood gates. Hill scored back-to-back goals for her second straight hat trick and third of her career (5:01 - front court,ย and 4:26 - two meters) to put UCLA up 9-1. Sofie Pontre scored twice for Michigan (4:10 and 3:33), but junior Lexi Liebowitzย sandwiched a goal in between the two (3:46 - front court) to keep the Wolverines at bay, with UCLA leading 10-3. Sophie Tovani would score the final goal of the period for Michigan (0:38) to trim the Bruins' lead to 10-4 heading into the fourth.
Sophomore Val Ayala put the Bruins up 11-4 with a power play goalย (6:35) to open the scoring in the fourth period. The Bruins then looked to run out the clock on the Wolverines. Drake tacked on her second of the game at two meters (3:04) as the UCLA defense continued to shut down Michigan en route to the 12-4 final.
UCLAย returns to action tomorrow when it takes on No. 24 Marist at 7:30 a.m. PT and No. 21 Wagner at 12:00 p.m. PT at the Canham Natatorium.
No. 5 UCLA atย No. 7 Michigan (Game Seven - Michigan Invitational)
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| No. 5 UCLA | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 12 |
| No. 7 Michigan | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
6x5 -ย UCLA - 1/3 - UM - 0/7
Penalties -ย UCLA - 1/2 - UM - 2/2
UCLA Goals:ย Abbi Hill 3, Hannah Palmer 2, Katrina Drake 2, Val Ayala 1, Ava Johnson 1, Brooke Maxson 1, Roxy Wheaton 1, Lexi Liebowitz 1
UCLA Saves:ย Georgia Phillips 9
UM Goals:ย Sofie Pontre 2, Ava Morrant 1, Sophie Tovani 1
UM Saves:ย Heidi Ritner 4, Sophie Jackson 3
