No. 3 UCLA Crushes California Baptist University, 19-4

Friday, February 2

San Diego, CA

2:40 PM

UCLA

5-0

California Baptist

1-4

Team	1	2	3	4	OT	OT	SD	SD	SD	SD	SD	Final F
Cal Baptist (W)	1	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4
UCLA (W)	7	5	2	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	19

Freshman goalkeeper Joey Niz had a season-high nine saves in just two periods in the win today over the CBU Lancers.

Photo by: Minette Rubin

No. 3 UCLA Crushes California Baptist University, 19-4

February 02, 2024 | Women's Water Polo

Box Score

SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- No. 3 UCLA (5-0) scored the first three goals of the game and cruised to a 19-4 win over California Baptist University (1-4) in the Bruins' first game of the Triton Invitational on Friday afternoon at the Coggan Family Aquatic Complex at La Jolla High School. UCLA improved to 12-0 all-time in the series history with the Lancers.

The Bruins had 12 players score in the contest, paced by freshman Panni Szegedi's second consecutive hat trick (tied season high). Five other Bruins put up multiple goals on the scoreboard, including graduate student Fiona Kuesis (tied career high), sophomore Carly McMurray (career high), sophomore Taylor Smith (tied season high), freshmen Dania Innis (season high), and junior Nicole Struss.

Freshman Lauren Steele got the start in the cage and played the first quarter, recording one save, one assist, and one steal, while allowing just one goal (penalty shot). Senior Sydney Chiang played the second quarter and registered six stops while allowing two scores (both from the front court). Freshman Joey Niz played the second half in the cage and had a season-best nine saves, two steals, and one assist, while giving up one goal in the third quarter (power play).

The Bruins easily won the first period, 7-1. Reigning MPSF Player of the Week, Anna Pearson, opened the scoring in the game from two meters off a feed from senior Malia Allen (5:42). Graduate student Hannah Palmer scored on a power play (5:20) and Struss scored her first from two meters (3:25) to make it 3-0. After a penalty conversion by CBU, Szegedi scored on a counter off a perfect pass from Steele (1:56) and then Smith scored back-to-back goals with a power pay strike (1:14) and a shot from two meters off another assist from Allen, to extend the lead to 6-1. Szegedi's second goal of the period beat the buzzer on a perfect execution of a 7-on-6 play.

UCLA won the second quarter, 5-2, to take a 12-3 lead into the break. CBU opened the scoring with a strike from the front court (7:30), but the Bruins reeled off three straight to pull away, leading 10-2. Kuesis scored on a counter (4:57), sophomore Genoa Rossi converted a penalty shot that was drawn by Struss (3:59), and McMurray scored her first on a power play off an assist from graduate student Brooke Doten (2:40) during the run. Another front court score by the Lancers was followed by Kuesis' second score (2:05) and Szegedi's hat trick on another 7-on-6 play (0:06) to end the scoring in the period.

Both defenses stepped up in the third period, won by the Bruins, 2-1, to push the lead to 14-4 heading into the final stanza. Innis scored her first goal from two meters off a pass from freshman Becca Melanson (5:55) to put UCLA up 13-3. After a power play goal by CBU, Allen got into the scoring column with a counter goal off an assist from Niz (4:25) to end the scoring in the third quarter.

UCLA pitched a shutout in the fourth period, 5-0, to provide the 19-4 final. Struss opened the scoring in the fourth with a goal from two meters (6:47) off a nice pass from McMurray. Freshman Olivia Ouellette then scored from two meters off a feed from Melanson (4:52) to push the lead to 16-4. The Bruins got two more goals off a front court strikes when McMurray found the back of the net for the second time (3:50) and then Melanson scored (1:56) to extend the lead to 18-4. Melanson would have her hand in the final goal as well, assisting Innis who scored her second of the game from two meters (1:08) to end the scoring in the game.

UP NEXT: The Bruins will face No. 14 Arizona State (10:40 a.m.) in the quarterfinals tomorrow as the Sun Devils upset No. 10 UC San Diego at buzzer, 12-11.

No. 3 UCLA vs. California Baptist University (Triton Invitational - Game 5)

SCOREBOARD	1	2	3	4	FINAL
California Baptist	1	2	1	0	4
No. 3 UCLA	7	5	2	5	19

6x5 - UCLA - 5/6 - CBU - 1/13
Penalties - UCLA - 1/1 - CBU - 1/1

CBU Goals: Kyra Kahahawai 1, Julia Almendariz 1, Madison Haworth 1, Celeste Almendariz 1
CBU Saves: not available

UCLA Goals: Panni Szegedi 3, Fiona Kuesis 2, Carly McMurray 2, Taylor Smith 2, Dania Innis 2, Nicole Struss 2, Hannah Palmer 1, Becca Melanson 1, Malia Allen 1, Olivia Ouellette 1, Genoa Rossi 1, Anna Pearson 1
UCLA Saves: Joey Niz 9, Sydney Chiang 6, Lauren Steele 1