Saturday, February 4
San Diego, CA
2:20 PM
UCLA
12
vs
8
Hawai'i
Emma Lineback scored her sixth straight hat trick, which ties Tanya Gandy (six to open the 2009 season) for the most consecutive hat tricks by a Bruin (since 2000).
Photo by: Deanna Wentzel
No. 3 UCLA Will Defend Triton Title After 12-8 Win Over No. 5 Hawai'i
February 04, 2023 | Women's Water Polo
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SAN DIEGO, Calif.ย โ Freshman Anna Pearson and sophomore Emma Linebackย scored four goals apiece to lead the No. 3 UCLA women's water polo team (9-0) to an impressive 12-8 win over previously undefeated No. 5 Hawai'i (7-1) in the semifinals of the Triton Invitationalย on Saturday afternoon at UCSD'sย Canyonview Pool.
A total of six Bruins got into the scoring column in the victory.
Junior Sydney Chiang got the start in the cage and went the distance, registering sevenย saves and one steal while allowing eight goals.
ย
The two teams played to a 2-2 draw in the first quarter. Hawai'i scored first (3:19) but Pearson's power play goal (3:00) that was assisted by junior Malia Allen tied things up at 1-1. The Rainbow Wahine took the lead again (2:33), but graduate student Val Ayala (1:26) scored a power play goal to end the scoring in the first.
UCLA won the second period 3-2, to take a 5-4 lead into the break. The Bruins scored the first two goals of the second period with Pearson netting both of them (7:18 and 4:53) to complete her hat trick to put UCLA up 4-2. After a score by UH, Lineback scored her first from the front court (1:32) to make it 5-3. UH's Olivia Kistlerย ended the scoring in the second quarter.
The Bruins won the third quarter 4-2 to build a 9-6 lead heading into the final stanza. Pearson scored her fourth of the game to open the scoring in the third (6:54) and then Lineback followed with her second (6:29) to put UCLA up 7-4. The two teams would trade goals for the rest of the period with senior Hannah Palmer finding the back of the net from the front court (4:29) and Linebackย completing her hat trick (2:17) to end the scoring in the third.
UCLA won the fourth quarter, 3-2, to provide the 12-8 final. The teams alternated scoring again with the Bruins getting the first goal from graduate student Katrina Drake (7:40) on a power play. It was Drake's first action of the weekend. Freshman Sienna Green then scored from the front court (3:30) to put UCLA up 11-7. After a goal by Hawai'i, Lineback scored her fourth goal (2:33) on a power play off a feed from Ayala to end the scoring.
Bia Mantellato Dias, Lucia Gomez de la Puente, and Kistlerย each scored two goals to lead Hawai'i. UC San Diego did not provide goalkeeper stats.
The Bruins return to action tomorrow when they defend their Triton Invitational title against No. 2 USC in the finals of theย Triton Invitationalย at 1:30 p.m. PTย at UCSD'sย Triton Pool.
GAME NOTES:ย After a draw in the opening period, UCLA won the final three quarters to put UH away โฆ UCLAย improved to 9-0 for the 12th time in school history โฆ this wasย the 58th meeting between UCLA and Hawai'i with the Bruins leading the series 55-3 โฆ UCLA has now registered 19 hat tricks in the first nine games of the year โฆ Lineback scored her sixth straight hat trick, which ties Tanya Gandy (six to open the 2009 season) for the most consecutive hat tricks by a Bruin (since 2000).
No. 3 UCLA vs. No. 5 Hawai'iย (Triton Invitational - Semifinals)
San Diego, Calif.ย (Canyonview Aquatic Center)
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| No. 5 Hawai'i | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| No. 3 UCLA | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 12 |
6x5 โ UCLA: 3/7, UH: 3/9
Penalty Shots โ UCLA: 0/0, UH: 0/0
UH Goals:ย Bia Mantellato Dias 2, Lucia Gomez de la Puenteย 2, Olivia Kistler 2, Emma van Rossum 1, Alba Bonamusa Boixย 1
UH Saves:ย n/a
UCLA Goals:ย Anna Pearson 4, Emma Lineback 4, Val Ayala 1, Sienna Green 1, Hannah Palmer 1, Katrina Drake 1
UCLA Saves:ย Sydney Chiang 7
Players Mentioned
ATK
/ Women's Water Polo
GK
/ Women's Water Polo
UTL
/ Women's Water Polo
UTL
/ Women's Water Polo
ATK
/ Women's Water Polo
ATK
/ Women's Water Polo
UTL
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