Sunday, February 4
San Diego, CA
12:40 PM
UCLA
8-0
10
vs
8
Fresno State
8-3
1
2
3
4
OT
OT
SD
SD
SD
SD
SD
F
Fresno State (W)
3
3
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
8
UCLA (W)
4
2
1
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
10
The Bruins were led by hat tricks from senior Malia Allen (season-high) and sophomore Anna Pearsonย (third hat trick of the season).
Photo by: Minette Rubin
No. 3 UCLA Captures Triton Invitational Title
February 04, 2024 | Women's Water Polo
SAN DIEGO, Calif. --ย No. 3 UCLA (8-0) used a dominant defensive effort in the second-half, allowing just three goals, to win the Triton Invitational on Sunday afternoon with a 10-8 victory over No. 5 Fresno State (8-3)ย at UC San Diego's Triton Pool. UCLA improved to 7-0 all-time in the series history with the Bulldogs.
The Bruins had six players score in the contest, paced by hat tricks from senior Malia Allen (season-high, eventual game-winning goal at 6:03 of the fourth) and sophomore Anna Pearsonย (third hat trick of the season, insurance goal at 1:29 of the fourth). They were the only Bruins to score multiple goals in the game.
Freshman Lauren Steeleย got the start in the cage and went the distance, recording seven saves, two steals, and one assist while giving up eight goals.
The Bruins won the first period, 4-3. The Bruins scored the first two goals of the game, both off of front court strikes from freshmen Becca Melanson (7:10) and Natasha Kieckhafer (6:35). After the Bulldogs scored a power play (3:30), freshman Dania Innis scored from two meters (3:03) off a pass from Melanson to put the Bruins up 3-1. Fresno State would add another power play (2:14), but senior Malia Allen would return the favor with a power play score (1:49) off an assist from graduate student Hannah Palmer. The Bulldogs would score on another power play opportunity with 0:07 remaining to end the scoring in the first.
FSU won the second quarter, 3-2, to tie the game at 6-6ย heading into the break. Fresno State scored the first two goals of the second period (7:39 and 5:30) to take its first lead of the game. Allen scored her second on a power play (5:01) off a pass from sophomore Taylor Smith to tie the game at 5-5. After FSU scored to go back in front (3:09), freshman Panni Szegedi found the back of the net on a power play (1:30) off a feed from sophomore Lily Gess to end the scoring in the second quarter with the game tied at 6-6.
UCLA won the third quarter, 1-0, to take a 7-6 lead heading into the final stanza. Sophomore Anna Pearson put the Bruins back in front with a goal from two meters off a feed by graduate student Brooke Doten (6:21) to put UCLA up 7-6. That was the only goal of the quarter as both teams were denied on a penalty shot and both teams went 0-for-3 on power plays.
The Bruins won the fourth period, 3-2, to provide the 10-8 final score. Pearson scored her second of the game on a power play off an assist from Szegedi (6:51) and then Allen scored from the front court off an assist from Szegedi (6:03) to complete her first hat trick of the season to push the lead to a game-high three goals at 9-6. But FSU closed to within one goal at 9-8 with back-to-back goals at 4:40 and 4:02 remaining. Pearson completed her third hat trick of the year by adding an insurance goal (1:29) off an assist from Allen to end the scoring in the game.
UP NEXT: UCLAย will face No. 6 UC Irvineย next week on Saturday, Feb. 10, at 1:00 p.m. in the Bruins' home opener.
No. 3 UCLA vs. No. 5 Fresno State (Triton Invitational - Finals - Game 8)
6x5 -ย UCLA - 4/12 - FSU - 3/13
Penalties -ย UCLA - 0/1 - FSU - 1/2
FSU Goals:ย Hailey Andress 3, Abbey Simshauser 2, Brooke Ochoa 2, Caitlyn Mossman 1
FSU Saves:ย Paula Nieto Jasny 10
UCLA Goals:ย Malia Allen 3,ย Anna Pearson 3, Dania Innis 1, Becca Melanson 1, Natasha Kieckhafer 1, Panni Szegedi 1
UCLA Saves:ย Lauren Steele 7
ย
The Bruins had six players score in the contest, paced by hat tricks from senior Malia Allen (season-high, eventual game-winning goal at 6:03 of the fourth) and sophomore Anna Pearsonย (third hat trick of the season, insurance goal at 1:29 of the fourth). They were the only Bruins to score multiple goals in the game.
Freshman Lauren Steeleย got the start in the cage and went the distance, recording seven saves, two steals, and one assist while giving up eight goals.
The Bruins won the first period, 4-3. The Bruins scored the first two goals of the game, both off of front court strikes from freshmen Becca Melanson (7:10) and Natasha Kieckhafer (6:35). After the Bulldogs scored a power play (3:30), freshman Dania Innis scored from two meters (3:03) off a pass from Melanson to put the Bruins up 3-1. Fresno State would add another power play (2:14), but senior Malia Allen would return the favor with a power play score (1:49) off an assist from graduate student Hannah Palmer. The Bulldogs would score on another power play opportunity with 0:07 remaining to end the scoring in the first.
FSU won the second quarter, 3-2, to tie the game at 6-6ย heading into the break. Fresno State scored the first two goals of the second period (7:39 and 5:30) to take its first lead of the game. Allen scored her second on a power play (5:01) off a pass from sophomore Taylor Smith to tie the game at 5-5. After FSU scored to go back in front (3:09), freshman Panni Szegedi found the back of the net on a power play (1:30) off a feed from sophomore Lily Gess to end the scoring in the second quarter with the game tied at 6-6.
UCLA won the third quarter, 1-0, to take a 7-6 lead heading into the final stanza. Sophomore Anna Pearson put the Bruins back in front with a goal from two meters off a feed by graduate student Brooke Doten (6:21) to put UCLA up 7-6. That was the only goal of the quarter as both teams were denied on a penalty shot and both teams went 0-for-3 on power plays.
The Bruins won the fourth period, 3-2, to provide the 10-8 final score. Pearson scored her second of the game on a power play off an assist from Szegedi (6:51) and then Allen scored from the front court off an assist from Szegedi (6:03) to complete her first hat trick of the season to push the lead to a game-high three goals at 9-6. But FSU closed to within one goal at 9-8 with back-to-back goals at 4:40 and 4:02 remaining. Pearson completed her third hat trick of the year by adding an insurance goal (1:29) off an assist from Allen to end the scoring in the game.
UP NEXT: UCLAย will face No. 6 UC Irvineย next week on Saturday, Feb. 10, at 1:00 p.m. in the Bruins' home opener.
No. 3 UCLA vs. No. 5 Fresno State (Triton Invitational - Finals - Game 8)
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| No. 5 FSU | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 8 |
| No. 3 UCLA | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 10 |
Penalties -ย UCLA - 0/1 - FSU - 1/2
FSU Goals:ย Hailey Andress 3, Abbey Simshauser 2, Brooke Ochoa 2, Caitlyn Mossman 1
FSU Saves:ย Paula Nieto Jasny 10
UCLA Goals:ย Malia Allen 3,ย Anna Pearson 3, Dania Innis 1, Becca Melanson 1, Natasha Kieckhafer 1, Panni Szegedi 1
UCLA Saves:ย Lauren Steele 7
ย
Team Stats
FRE
UCL
Shots
37
25
Goals
8
10
Assists
10
10
Points
18
20
Exclusions
12
13
Steals
12
9
Sprints
4
0
1
Becca Melanson
Natasha Kieckhafer
Abbey Simshauser
Dania Innis
Hailey Andress
Malia Allen
Hailey Andress
2
Brooke Ochoa
Caitlyn Mossman
Malia Allen
Hailey Andress
Panni Szegedi
3
Anna Pearson
4
Anna Pearson
Malia Allen
Abbey Simshauser
Brooke Ochoa
Anna Pearson
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
6
Goals
3
Assists
1
Points
4
Shots
4
Goals
3
Assists
0
Points
3
Shots
4
Goals
1
Assists
3
Points
4
Shots
4
Goals
0
Assists
1
Points
1
Players Mentioned
ATK
/ Women's Water Polo
ATK
/ Women's Water Polo
CTR
/ Women's Water Polo
UTL
/ Women's Water Polo
ATK
/ Women's Water PoloATK
/ Women's Water PoloUTL
/ Women's Water Polo
ATK
/ Women's Water Polo
GK
/ Women's Water PoloUTL
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