UCLA
13-0
Stanford
9-3
No. 1 UCLA Chops Down No. 4 Stanford, 9-6
February 24, 2024 | Women's Water Polo
IRVINE, Calif.ย --ย Top-ranked UCLA (13-0) advanced to the finals of the Barbara Kalbus Invitationalย on Saturday (Feb. 24) afternoon with a 9-6 win over No. 4 Stanford, at the Marian Bergeson Aquatic Complex at Corona del Mar High School. With the win, UCLA improved to 38-60ย all-time against the Cardinal.
UCLA had a total of seven different players score in the contest, paced by two goals each from sophomore Genoa Rossi and junior Nicole Struss.ย Graduate student Hannah Palmer (one goal, two assists), senior Malia Allen (one goal and two assists) and Rossi (two goals, one assist), paced the Bruins' offense with three points apiece.
Freshman Lauren Steele got the start in the cage and went the distance, tallying nine saves while allowing the Cardinal just six goals. The win over the Cardinal snapped a seven-game losing streak to Stanford (dating back to 2021).
The Bruins never trailed in the contest, winning the first quarter 2-1. The two teams battled to a 2-2 draw in the second period as UCLA took a 4-3 lead into the break. The Bruins won the third period, 3-2, to lead 7-5ย heading into the final stanza. UCLA also won the fourth quarter, 2-1, to provide the 9-6 final.
UP NEXT: The Bruins will take onย No. 2 Hawai'i in the finals tomorrowย at 1:00 p.m. at Marian Bergeson Aquatic Complex in Newport Beach, Calif. (Corona del Mar HS).
No. 4 Stanford vs. No. 1 UCLA (Barbara Kalbus Invitational - Semifinals - Game 13)
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| No. 4 Stanford | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| No. 1 UCLA | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 9 |
6x5 -ย UCLA - 4/13 - STAN - 2/11
Penalties -ย UCLA - 1/2 - STAN - 0/0
STAN Goals:ย Christina Hicks 3, Maggie Hawkins 2, Quinn Healy 1
STAN Saves:ย Maya Avital 11
UCLA Goals:ย Genoa Rossi 2, Nicole Struss 2, Hannah Palmer 1, Molly Renner 1, Malia Allen 1, Anna Pearson 1, Panni Szegedi 1
UCLA Saves:ย Lauren Steele 9
ย
Team Stats
Hannah Palmer
5:27
Christina Hicks
5:12
Nicole Struss
3:28
Christina Hicks
7:13
Malia Allen
6:37
Quinn Healy
4:03
Nicole Struss
1:53
Molly Renner
5:21
Maggie Hawkins
4:50
Anna Pearson
3:57
Panni Szegedi
1:32
Maggie Hawkins
0:24
Christina Hicks
7:28
Genoa Rossi
4:32
Genoa Rossi
0:47
