UCLA
5-1, 3-1MPSF
Stanford
6-2, 4-2MPSF
No. 3 UCLA Snaps Skid to No. 2 Stanford with 11-10 Win
March 28, 2021 | Women's Water Polo
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STANFORD, Calif. -- No. 3 UCLA (5-1, 3-1 MPSF) put together a great effort in an 11-10 win at No. 2 Stanford (6-2, 4-2 MPSF) on Sunday afternoon at Avery Aquatic Center. The win marked the first for UCLA over the Cardinal since a 6-3 win in the MPSF Championship game on April 30, 2017 (seven straight wins for Stanford entering today's game). The Bruins improved to 36-52 all-time against the Cardinal.
Freshman Malia Allen scored a team- and game-high-tying three goals in the win over Stanford. Redshirt sophomore Georgia Phillips got the start in the cage and went the distance, tallying 12 saves while allowing 10 goals.
In a game they never trailed, the Bruins got on the board first with a goal from Allen (7:12). After Chloe Harbilas tied it for Stanford (5:46), sophomore Hannah Palmer found the back of the net (5:30) on the next possession to give UCLA a 2-1 edge. Junior Katrina Drake extended the lead to 3-1 with a goal at the 3:52 mark and junior Bella Wentzel's power play goal (1:27) made it 4-1 Bruins. Stanford scored the last two goals of the period (1:10 and 0:28) to cut the Bruins' lead to 4-3 at the end of the first period.
Stanford's Lexi Rowell opened the scoring in the second period (7:10) to tie the game at 4-4, but UCLA had the answer as Allen scored her second (6:28) to put the Bruins back in front. That started a streak of four consecutive goals for the Bruins. Freshman Anneliese Miller scored her first (3:54). then junior Ava Johnson found the back of the net on a power play (2:36) and the Bruins were off and running with a 7-4 lead. Allen capped off her hat trick and the scoring in the first half with a goal (1:20) to give UCLA an 8-4 lead at the break.
Johnson then scored the first goal of the third period (6:13) to make it 9-4 UCLA and the Bruins looked to be in control. But the Cardinal closed the quarter scoring four unanswered goals to trim the Bruins' lead to 9-8 at the end of the third.
Both teams battled to a 2-2 draw in the fourth quarter. Stanford got a power play goal from Sophie Wallace to tie the game (6:43) at 9-9. But Palmer fired a strike that found the back of the net (6:25) on UCLA's next possession to regain the lead at 10-9. Then senior Lexi Liebowitz pushed the lead back to two goals with a goal from the front court (2:51). Stanford cut it to 11-10 with a power play goal from Hannah Shabb (1:06), her second of the second half. The Bruins would get a couple of stops down the stretch to seal the win.
Eichelberger finished with 11 saves while Harbilas led Stanford with a hat trick.
UCLA returns to action on Saturday, Apr. 3 when it travels to San Jose State for a 1:00 p.m. PDT tilt.
No. 3 UCLA at No. 2 Stanford (MPSF Game - Game 6)
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| No. 3 UCLA | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 11 |
| No. 2 Stanford | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 10 |
6x5 - UCLA - 2/5 - STAN - 3/10
Penalties - UCLA - 0/1 - STAN - 0/0
UCLA Goals: Malia Allen 3, Hannah Palmer 2, Ava Johnson 2, Bella Wentzel 1, Katrina Drake 1, Anneliese Miller 1, Lexi Liebowitz 1
UCLA Saves: Georgia Phillips 12
Stanford Goals: Chloe Harbilas 3, Hannah Shabb 2, Sarah Klass 1, Lexi Rowell 1, Jewel Roemer 1, Hannah Constandse 1, Sophie Wallace 1
Stanford Saves: Emalia Eichelberger 11
Team Stats
Malia Allen
7:12
Chloe Harbilas
5:46
Hannah Palmer
5:30
Katrina Drake
3:52
Bella Wentzel
1:27
Chloe Harbilas
1:10
Hannah Constandse
0:28
Lexi Rowell
7:10
Malia Allen
6:28
Anneliese Miller
3:54
Ava Johnson
2:38
Malia Allen
1:20
Ava Johnson
6:13
Jewel Roemer
5:27
Sarah Klass
4:47
Chloe Harbilas
3:18
Hannah Shabb
1:56
Sophie Wallace
6:43
Hannah Palmer
6:25
Lexi Liebowitz
2:51
Hannah Shabb
1:06
