Saturday, January 20
Santa Barbara, CA
3:30 PM
UCLA
2-0
10
vs
9
UC San Diego
1-1
1
2
3
4
F
UCLA
2
4
3
1
10
UC San Diego
2
2
3
2
9
Lily Gess scored a career-high-tying three goals in the win over the Tritons today.
Photo by: Don Liebig/ASUCLA
No. 3 UCLA Holds Off No. 10 UC San Diego, 10-9
January 20, 2024 | Women's Water Polo
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. --ย No. 3 UCLA (2-0) escaped with a 10-9 win over No. 10 UC San Diego (1-1) in the second gameย of the UCSB Winter Invitational at Santa Barbara High School on Saturday afternoon. UCLA improved to 37-3 all-time in the series history with the Tritons.
The Bruins had seven players score in the contest, led by a career-high-tying effort of three goals from sophomore Lily Gess. Freshman Becca Melanson was the only other Bruin to turn in a multiple-goal game effort and her second score was the largest of the contest, the eventual game-winning goal that break a 9-9 tie at the 5:59 mark of the fourth period.
Freshman Lauren Steeleย got the start in the cage and played most of the game (all but the final 0:30 of the first quarter and the last 1:40 of the third quarter), tallying eight saves and three steals while giving up six goals. She also was 1-for-2 from the field (wearing cap number two), scoring her first collegiate goal against the Tritons in the second period. Freshman Joey Niz played the remaining 2:10 that Steele didn't play in the cage and had four saves while surrendering three goals.
Both teams battled to a 2-2 draw by the end of the first period. After UCSD scored, junior Molly Renner got an equalizer (5:14) to tie it at 1-1. The Tritons would take the lead again, but freshman Dania Innis drew an exclusion and then scored on the ensuing power play (3:15) to end the scoring all tied up at two.
UCLA won the second quarter, 4-2, to take a 6-4 lead into the break. Gess opened the scoring in the second quarter (6:27) giving the Bruins their first lead of the game at 3-2. Then Melanson scored on a power play (5:34) to put UCLA up 4-2. After the Tritons scored (4:21), Gess scored her second of the game (1:26) to extend the lead to 5-3. Another goal by UCSD (0:18), was followed by another score from the Bruinsย as Steele entered the field and struck paydirtย to put UCLA up 6-4 with 0:07 remaining in the second.
Both offenses put up three goals in the third quarter as UCLA clung to a 9-7 lead heading into the final stanza. UCSD struck first in the third with a penalty shot conversion (7:42), but sophomore Taylor Smith scored on a power play (4:57) to put the Bruins up 7-5. UCSD tacked on another goal on a power play (4:10), but again the Bruins answered when freshman Natasha Kieckhafer converted a penalty shot (3:18) that she drew to push the lead to 8-6. Gess then completed her hat trick (1:04) to extend the lead to 9-6, the Bruins' largest lead of the game. UC San Diego scored the final goal of the period to cut the Bruins' advantage to 9-7.
UCSD won the fourth period, 2-1, to provide the 10-9 final. UCSD opened the scoring in the fourth with back-to-back goals (7:38 and 6:22) to tie the score at 9-9. Melanson then delivered her second score (5:59) to put the Bruins back in front. It is fitting that a freshman would hit the game-winning shot as the Bruins' 2024 roster is comprised of over 42 percent of players making their collegiate debuts in 2024. Melanson's goal would prove to be the game-winning shot as both team's defenses were stellar down the stretch.
UP NEXT: The Bruins will face No. 12 UC Santa Barbara in the final game of the UCSB Winter Invitational on Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
No. 3 UCLA vs. No. 10 UC San Diego (UCSB Winter Invitationalย - Game 2)
6x5 -ย UCLA - 3/9 - UCSD - 1/7
Penalties -ย UCLA - 1/1 - UCSD - 1/1
UCSD Goals:ย Caroline Christlย 3,ย Lucia Doak 3,ย Courtney Okumura 2,ย Kendall Thomas 1
UCSD Saves:ย Lexi Stahl 7
UCLA Goals:ย Lily Gess 3, Becca Melanson 2, Lauren Steeleย 1, Taylor Smithย 1, Dania Innis 1, Natasha Kieckhafer 1, Molly Renner 1
UCLA Saves:ย Lauren Steele 8, Joey Niz 4
ย
The Bruins had seven players score in the contest, led by a career-high-tying effort of three goals from sophomore Lily Gess. Freshman Becca Melanson was the only other Bruin to turn in a multiple-goal game effort and her second score was the largest of the contest, the eventual game-winning goal that break a 9-9 tie at the 5:59 mark of the fourth period.
Freshman Lauren Steeleย got the start in the cage and played most of the game (all but the final 0:30 of the first quarter and the last 1:40 of the third quarter), tallying eight saves and three steals while giving up six goals. She also was 1-for-2 from the field (wearing cap number two), scoring her first collegiate goal against the Tritons in the second period. Freshman Joey Niz played the remaining 2:10 that Steele didn't play in the cage and had four saves while surrendering three goals.
Both teams battled to a 2-2 draw by the end of the first period. After UCSD scored, junior Molly Renner got an equalizer (5:14) to tie it at 1-1. The Tritons would take the lead again, but freshman Dania Innis drew an exclusion and then scored on the ensuing power play (3:15) to end the scoring all tied up at two.
UCLA won the second quarter, 4-2, to take a 6-4 lead into the break. Gess opened the scoring in the second quarter (6:27) giving the Bruins their first lead of the game at 3-2. Then Melanson scored on a power play (5:34) to put UCLA up 4-2. After the Tritons scored (4:21), Gess scored her second of the game (1:26) to extend the lead to 5-3. Another goal by UCSD (0:18), was followed by another score from the Bruinsย as Steele entered the field and struck paydirtย to put UCLA up 6-4 with 0:07 remaining in the second.
Both offenses put up three goals in the third quarter as UCLA clung to a 9-7 lead heading into the final stanza. UCSD struck first in the third with a penalty shot conversion (7:42), but sophomore Taylor Smith scored on a power play (4:57) to put the Bruins up 7-5. UCSD tacked on another goal on a power play (4:10), but again the Bruins answered when freshman Natasha Kieckhafer converted a penalty shot (3:18) that she drew to push the lead to 8-6. Gess then completed her hat trick (1:04) to extend the lead to 9-6, the Bruins' largest lead of the game. UC San Diego scored the final goal of the period to cut the Bruins' advantage to 9-7.
UCSD won the fourth period, 2-1, to provide the 10-9 final. UCSD opened the scoring in the fourth with back-to-back goals (7:38 and 6:22) to tie the score at 9-9. Melanson then delivered her second score (5:59) to put the Bruins back in front. It is fitting that a freshman would hit the game-winning shot as the Bruins' 2024 roster is comprised of over 42 percent of players making their collegiate debuts in 2024. Melanson's goal would prove to be the game-winning shot as both team's defenses were stellar down the stretch.
UP NEXT: The Bruins will face No. 12 UC Santa Barbara in the final game of the UCSB Winter Invitational on Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
No. 3 UCLA vs. No. 10 UC San Diego (UCSB Winter Invitationalย - Game 2)
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| No. 10 UCSD | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 9 |
| No. 3 UCLA | 2 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 10 |
Penalties -ย UCLA - 1/1 - UCSD - 1/1
UCSD Goals:ย Caroline Christlย 3,ย Lucia Doak 3,ย Courtney Okumura 2,ย Kendall Thomas 1
UCSD Saves:ย Lexi Stahl 7
UCLA Goals:ย Lily Gess 3, Becca Melanson 2, Lauren Steeleย 1, Taylor Smithย 1, Dania Innis 1, Natasha Kieckhafer 1, Molly Renner 1
UCLA Saves:ย Lauren Steele 8, Joey Niz 4
ย
Team Stats
UCLA
UCSD
Shots
25
33
Goals
10
9
Assists
0
5
Points
10
14
Exclusions
8
10
Steals
12
11
Sprints
2
2
1
Kendall Thomas
6:07
Molly Renner
5:14
Lucia Doak
3:37
Dania Innis
3:15
2
Lily Gess
6:27
Becca Melanson
5:34
Caroline Christl
4:21
Lily Gess
1:06
Courtney Okumura
0:18
Lauren Steele
0:07
3
Caroline Christl
7:42
Taylor Smith
4:57
Courtney Okumura
4:10
Natasha Kieckhafer
3:18
Lily Gess
1:04
Caroline Christl
0:52
4
Lucia Doak
7:38
Lucia Doak
6:22
Becca Melanson
5:59
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
3
Goals
1
Assists
0
Points
1
Shots
3
Goals
1
Assists
0
Points
1
Shots
3
Goals
0
Assists
0
Points
0
Players Mentioned
CTR
/ Women's Water Polo
UTL
/ Women's Water Polo
ATK
/ Women's Water Polo
ATK
/ Women's Water Polo
ATK
/ Women's Water Polo
GK
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