LOS ANGELES – The second-ranked UCLA women's water polo team never trailed en route to an 18-7 win against No. 8 Indiana Friday at Spieker Aquatics Center. The game represented UCLA's MPSF home opener and Indiana's first conference game of 2026.
Six players scored two or more goals for the Bruins (11-1, 2-0 MPSF), with Taylor Smith pouring in three for her eighth hat trick of the season. Lauren Steele (six) and Joey Niz (three) combined for nine saves. Louisa Downes and Grace Klingler recorded two goals each to lead the Hoosiers (12-2, 0-1), who got eight stops in the cage from Jasmine Higgs.
UCLA's Bia Mantellato got scoring started 15 seconds into the contest. Downes answered, but the Bruins subsequently went on a 4-0 run with goals by Smith, Anna Pearson, Genoa Rossi and Dania Innis. They would take a 5-2 lead into the second quarter.
Steele and the UCLA defense starred in the next eight minutes, holding Indiana scoreless. Steele had three saves to match her first-quarter output. Fanni Muzsnay scored her first goal as a Bruin, while Smith and Elektra Urbatsch also found the back of the net before halftime. UCLA led 8-2 at the break.
Urbatsch, Becca Melanson and Lily Gess scored for the Bruins before the Hoosiers snapped their spell in the third. Mantellato made the score 12-3 going into the final frame.
UCLA's lead reached a game-high 12 at 16-4 (3:23) and 15-7 (1:19) in the fourth quarter. Innis, Pearson and Smith added to their totals, while Zoë Frangieh (twice) and Katherine O'Dea got in the scorebook. For the second time in as many weeks, Niz stopped a penalty shot.
The Bruins are back in action Saturday, when they host No. 12 Michigan. The non-conference game gets underway from Spieker Aquatics Center at 1 p.m. PT.
No. 2 UCLA vs. No. 8 Indiana
6x5: Indiana – 5/11, UCLA – 6/9
Penalties: Indiana – 0/1, UCLA – 1/1
Indiana Goals: Louisa Downes 2, Grace Klingler 2, Olivia Harris 1, Gwyneth Le 1, Kylie Williams 1
Indiana Saves: Jasmine Higgs 8
UCLA Goals: Taylor Smith 3, Zoë Frangieh 2, Dania Innis 2, Bia Mantellato 2, Anna Pearson 2, Elektra Urbatsch 2, Lily Gess 1, Becca Melanson 1, Fanni Muzsnay 1, Katherine O'Dea 1, Genoa Rossi 1
UCLA Saves: Lauren Steele 6, Joey Niz 3
Six players scored two or more goals for the Bruins (11-1, 2-0 MPSF), with Taylor Smith pouring in three for her eighth hat trick of the season. Lauren Steele (six) and Joey Niz (three) combined for nine saves. Louisa Downes and Grace Klingler recorded two goals each to lead the Hoosiers (12-2, 0-1), who got eight stops in the cage from Jasmine Higgs.
UCLA's Bia Mantellato got scoring started 15 seconds into the contest. Downes answered, but the Bruins subsequently went on a 4-0 run with goals by Smith, Anna Pearson, Genoa Rossi and Dania Innis. They would take a 5-2 lead into the second quarter.
Steele and the UCLA defense starred in the next eight minutes, holding Indiana scoreless. Steele had three saves to match her first-quarter output. Fanni Muzsnay scored her first goal as a Bruin, while Smith and Elektra Urbatsch also found the back of the net before halftime. UCLA led 8-2 at the break.
Urbatsch, Becca Melanson and Lily Gess scored for the Bruins before the Hoosiers snapped their spell in the third. Mantellato made the score 12-3 going into the final frame.
UCLA's lead reached a game-high 12 at 16-4 (3:23) and 15-7 (1:19) in the fourth quarter. Innis, Pearson and Smith added to their totals, while Zoë Frangieh (twice) and Katherine O'Dea got in the scorebook. For the second time in as many weeks, Niz stopped a penalty shot.
The Bruins are back in action Saturday, when they host No. 12 Michigan. The non-conference game gets underway from Spieker Aquatics Center at 1 p.m. PT.
No. 2 UCLA vs. No. 8 Indiana
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| No. 8 Indiana | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 7 |
| No. 2 UCLA | 5 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 18 |
6x5: Indiana – 5/11, UCLA – 6/9
Penalties: Indiana – 0/1, UCLA – 1/1
Indiana Goals: Louisa Downes 2, Grace Klingler 2, Olivia Harris 1, Gwyneth Le 1, Kylie Williams 1
Indiana Saves: Jasmine Higgs 8
UCLA Goals: Taylor Smith 3, Zoë Frangieh 2, Dania Innis 2, Bia Mantellato 2, Anna Pearson 2, Elektra Urbatsch 2, Lily Gess 1, Becca Melanson 1, Fanni Muzsnay 1, Katherine O'Dea 1, Genoa Rossi 1
UCLA Saves: Lauren Steele 6, Joey Niz 3