LOS ANGELES -- No. 1 UCLA (10-0, 1-0 MPSF) used a strong second half to remain undefeated on the year with a 14-12 win over No. 7 Arizona State (11-2, 0-1 MPSF) in the league opener for both teams on Saturday afternoon at Dirks Pool at Spieker Aquatics Center. UCLA improved to 32-2 all-time in the series history with the Sun Devils.
The Bruins had seven players score in the contest, paced by a season- and career-high five goals from sophomore Taylor Smith. Junior Molly Renner returned to the lineup after missing the last five games with an undisclosed injury and scored two goals, as did sophomore Anna Pearson and senior Anneliese Miller. Pearson scored the eventual game-winning goal with 2:18 left in the fourth quarter.
Freshman Lauren Steele got the start in the cage and went the distance, recording 10 saves and two steals, while allowing 12 goals.
The two teams settled for a 5-5 draw at the end of the first period, which featured five ties and two lead changes with neither team leading by more than one goal.
ASU won the second quarter, 3-2, to take an 8-7 lead into the break. The period featured two more ties and two more lead changes with neither team leading by more than one score again.
UCLA won the third quarter, 3-2, to tie the game at 10-10 heading into the final stanza. Three more ties occurred in the third quarter as Smith scored two of the Bruins' three goals in the third.
UCLA doubled up the Sun Devils, 4-2, in the fourth period to provide the 14-12 final. Sophomore Genoa Rossi opened the scoring in the fourth (7:43) with a goal from the front court to put the Bruins back in front. Then Smith scored her fifth of the contest to put the Bruins up 12-10 (5:00), the first two-goal lead of the game by either team. ASU would score back-to-back goals (3:20 and 2:42) to tie the game at 12-12. Pearson's eventual game-winning goal came from two meters off a feed from Renner (2:18). Then Renner called her own number and found the back of the net for the second time from the front court (1:22) to end the scoring.
UP NEXT: The Bruins will face Cal State Fullerton at 10:00 a.m. in the first game of the Barbara Kalbus Invitational at UC Irvine on Friday, Feb. 23.
No. 7 Arizona State at No. 1 UCLA (MPSF Opener - Game 10)
6x5 - UCLA - 1/9 - ASU - 3/12
Penalties - UCLA - 1/2 - ASU - 1/1
ASU Goals: Luca Petovary 7, Jasmijn Dikmans 1, Millie Quin 1, Sophie Shorter-Robinson 1, Alba Olivé Martí 1
ASU Saves: Sanne Keijzer 5
UCLA Goals: Taylor Smith 5, Molly Renner 2, Anneliese Miller 2, Anna Pearson 2, Hannah Palmer 1, Olivia Ouellette 1, Genoa Rossi 1
UCLA Saves: Lauren Steele 10
The Bruins had seven players score in the contest, paced by a season- and career-high five goals from sophomore Taylor Smith. Junior Molly Renner returned to the lineup after missing the last five games with an undisclosed injury and scored two goals, as did sophomore Anna Pearson and senior Anneliese Miller. Pearson scored the eventual game-winning goal with 2:18 left in the fourth quarter.
Freshman Lauren Steele got the start in the cage and went the distance, recording 10 saves and two steals, while allowing 12 goals.
The two teams settled for a 5-5 draw at the end of the first period, which featured five ties and two lead changes with neither team leading by more than one goal.
ASU won the second quarter, 3-2, to take an 8-7 lead into the break. The period featured two more ties and two more lead changes with neither team leading by more than one score again.
UCLA won the third quarter, 3-2, to tie the game at 10-10 heading into the final stanza. Three more ties occurred in the third quarter as Smith scored two of the Bruins' three goals in the third.
UCLA doubled up the Sun Devils, 4-2, in the fourth period to provide the 14-12 final. Sophomore Genoa Rossi opened the scoring in the fourth (7:43) with a goal from the front court to put the Bruins back in front. Then Smith scored her fifth of the contest to put the Bruins up 12-10 (5:00), the first two-goal lead of the game by either team. ASU would score back-to-back goals (3:20 and 2:42) to tie the game at 12-12. Pearson's eventual game-winning goal came from two meters off a feed from Renner (2:18). Then Renner called her own number and found the back of the net for the second time from the front court (1:22) to end the scoring.
UP NEXT: The Bruins will face Cal State Fullerton at 10:00 a.m. in the first game of the Barbara Kalbus Invitational at UC Irvine on Friday, Feb. 23.
No. 7 Arizona State at No. 1 UCLA (MPSF Opener - Game 10)
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| No. 7 ASU | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 12 |
| No. 1 UCLA | 5 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 14 |
Penalties - UCLA - 1/2 - ASU - 1/1
ASU Goals: Luca Petovary 7, Jasmijn Dikmans 1, Millie Quin 1, Sophie Shorter-Robinson 1, Alba Olivé Martí 1
ASU Saves: Sanne Keijzer 5
UCLA Goals: Taylor Smith 5, Molly Renner 2, Anneliese Miller 2, Anna Pearson 2, Hannah Palmer 1, Olivia Ouellette 1, Genoa Rossi 1
UCLA Saves: Lauren Steele 10