LOS ANGELES – The second-ranked UCLA women's water polo team earned a home-opening win Saturday at Spieker Aquatics Center, beating No. 12 UC Irvine 15-10. There were seven ties to open play, but the Bruins were able to establish a cushion in the second half.
Bia Mantellato led the Bruins (7-0) with four goals. Taylor Smith scored three times for UCLA, while Jenna Human and Anna Pearson each found the back of the net twice. The Anteaters were led by Lauren Hett's three goals, with Sydney Hagan and Annabelle Mundelius adding two apiece.
Lauren Steele had seven saves and scored a goal for the Bruins across three quarters. Joey Niz added three stops during the fourth. Ella Walker went the distance for UCI, stopping 10 shots.
UCLA's Elektra Urbatsch got scoring underway with a counter-attack goal at 6:22 of the opening frame. The Anteaters answered with a pair before Mantellato put away a six-on-five opportunity (4:16). Human got the Bruins back on top momentarily (2:21), but UCI leveled the score once more going into the second quarter.
Taylor Smith, the reigning MPSF Player of the Week for her performance at the Triton Invitational, scored twice in the second. A penalty shot with 2:25 to go jumpstarted a run for UCLA, which scored three of the final four goals. Coming on in a second-on-six chance in the final seconds, Steele converted to make the halftime lead 9-7.
The Bruins kept their foot on the gas to start the third quarter, as Genoa Rossi (6:51) and Smith (5:53) scored to open matters. The Anteaters got on the board just once in the third before Mantellato (4:27) and Pearson (3:06) closed out scoring with UCLA leading 13-8 and a quarter to play.
The teams traded two goals each in the fourth, with the Bruins' Tali Stryker adding her name to the scoresheet at 6:22. Pearson struck again at 2:04, closing the book on UCLA's seventh straight win without a loss to open the year.
UCLA next visits UCI for the annual Barbara Kalbus Invitational. The Bruins open play Friday, Feb. 13 at 3 p.m. PT against No. 10 Fresno State. Games at the Anteater Aquatics Complex continue through Sunday, Feb. 15.
No. 12 UC Irvine at No. 2 UCLA
6x5: UCLA - 1/8, UCI - 2/8
Penalties: UCLA - 1/1, UCI 1/1
UCI Goals: Lauren Hett 3, Sydney Hagan 2, Annabelle Mundelius 2, Vivian Bailey 1, Madi O'Hara 1, Michelle Urkov 1
UCI Saves: Ella Walker 10
UCLA Goals: Bia Mantellato 4, Taylor Smith 3, Jenna Human 2, Anna Pearson 2, Genoa Rossi 1, Lauren Steele 1, Tali Stryker 1, Elektra Urbatsch 1
UCLA Saves: Lauren Steele 7, Joey Niz 3
Bia Mantellato led the Bruins (7-0) with four goals. Taylor Smith scored three times for UCLA, while Jenna Human and Anna Pearson each found the back of the net twice. The Anteaters were led by Lauren Hett's three goals, with Sydney Hagan and Annabelle Mundelius adding two apiece.
Lauren Steele had seven saves and scored a goal for the Bruins across three quarters. Joey Niz added three stops during the fourth. Ella Walker went the distance for UCI, stopping 10 shots.
UCLA's Elektra Urbatsch got scoring underway with a counter-attack goal at 6:22 of the opening frame. The Anteaters answered with a pair before Mantellato put away a six-on-five opportunity (4:16). Human got the Bruins back on top momentarily (2:21), but UCI leveled the score once more going into the second quarter.
Taylor Smith, the reigning MPSF Player of the Week for her performance at the Triton Invitational, scored twice in the second. A penalty shot with 2:25 to go jumpstarted a run for UCLA, which scored three of the final four goals. Coming on in a second-on-six chance in the final seconds, Steele converted to make the halftime lead 9-7.
The Bruins kept their foot on the gas to start the third quarter, as Genoa Rossi (6:51) and Smith (5:53) scored to open matters. The Anteaters got on the board just once in the third before Mantellato (4:27) and Pearson (3:06) closed out scoring with UCLA leading 13-8 and a quarter to play.
The teams traded two goals each in the fourth, with the Bruins' Tali Stryker adding her name to the scoresheet at 6:22. Pearson struck again at 2:04, closing the book on UCLA's seventh straight win without a loss to open the year.
UCLA next visits UCI for the annual Barbara Kalbus Invitational. The Bruins open play Friday, Feb. 13 at 3 p.m. PT against No. 10 Fresno State. Games at the Anteater Aquatics Complex continue through Sunday, Feb. 15.
No. 12 UC Irvine at No. 2 UCLA
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| No. 12 UC Irvine | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 10 |
| No. 2 UCLA | 3 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 15 |
6x5: UCLA - 1/8, UCI - 2/8
Penalties: UCLA - 1/1, UCI 1/1
UCI Goals: Lauren Hett 3, Sydney Hagan 2, Annabelle Mundelius 2, Vivian Bailey 1, Madi O'Hara 1, Michelle Urkov 1
UCI Saves: Ella Walker 10
UCLA Goals: Bia Mantellato 4, Taylor Smith 3, Jenna Human 2, Anna Pearson 2, Genoa Rossi 1, Lauren Steele 1, Tali Stryker 1, Elektra Urbatsch 1
UCLA Saves: Lauren Steele 7, Joey Niz 3