UCLA
USC
No. 3 UCLA Takes Down No. 1 USC, 7-5
February 09, 2020 | Women's Water Polo
SOCIAL MEDIA: WWP on Twitter | WWP on Facebook | WWP on Instagram
SAN DIEGO, Calif. --ย No. 3 UCLA (14-1, 1-0 MPSF) used an impressive defensive effort to defeat No. 1 USC (6-1), 7-5, in the championship game of the Triton Invitational on Sunday nightย at Canyonview Aquatic Center. The Bruins improved to 51-33 all-time against USC, which had won the Triton Invitational in each of the last seven seasons and had defeated the Bruins the last seven games. UCLA's last win over the Trojans was an 11-7 home win in the regular season finale on April 22, 2017. The last time UCLA held USC to five goals was also in a regular season finale victory at home on April 18, 2015.
The Bruins were led by freshman Abbi Hill, who scored two goals in her first-ever meeting against USC. Redshirt freshman Georgia Phillips played the entire game in the cage for the Bruins, registering seven savesย while giving up fiveย goals. She also registered two steals against the Trojans.
Senior Brooke Maxson got the Bruins on the board first with a strike from the front court (7:34) on the first possession of the game. The Trojans had an immediate answer with a score from the front court by Grace Tehaney (7:13). But the Bruins had an immediate responseย when sophomore Katrina Drake found the back of the net from the front court (6:56). From there the two defenses clamped down and UCLA took a 2-1 lead into the second quarter.
Mireia Guiralย scored a power play goal for USC (5:14) to tie the game at 2-2 in the second period. Then Verica Bakocย gave the Trojans their first and only lead of the game at 3-2 with a shot from the front court with 4:03 left in the second. The Bruins would score the next three goals, which began with UCLA's only score of the second period, a strike from the front court from Hill to end the scoring in the second period with the game tied atย 3-3.
The Bruins jumped out to a 5-3 lead in the third period with a power play goal from senior Emily Skelly (5:28) and a shot from the front court by Hill (4:38), her second of the game. The Trojans would get a power play goal from Tehaney (3:08), her second of the game, to trim the Bruins' lead to 5-4 heading into the fourth.
Kelsey McIntosh opened the scoring in the fourth period on a shot from the front court (6:26) that tied the game at 5-5. But sophomore Bella Baia provided the eventual game-winner from the front court (6:06) and junior Myna Simmons added an insurance goal from two meters (3:07) and the Bruin defense went to work to provide the 7-5 final.
UCLAย returns to action in two weeks at the Barbaraย Kalbus Invitational in Irvine, Calif. from Friday, Feb. 21 through Sunday, Feb. 23. Seedings will be announced next week.
No. 3 UCLA vs. No. 1 USCย (Game 15 - UCSD Triton Invitational - Finals)
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| No. 3 UCLA | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
| No. 1 USC | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
6x5 -ย UCLA - 1/6 - USC - 2/9
Penalties -ย UCLA - 0/0 - USC - 0/0
UCLA Goals:ย Abbi Hill 2, Katrina Drake 1, Brooke Maxsonย 1, Bella Baiaย 1, Myna Simmons 1, Emily Skelly 1
UCLA Saves:ย Georgia Phillips 7
USC Goals:ย Grace Tehaney 2, Mireia Guiral 1, Verica Bakoc 1, Kelsey McIntosh 1
USCย Saves:ย Holly Parker 7
