University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Saturday, February 14
Irvine, Calif.
4:30 PM (PT)
UCLA
9-0
10
vs
9
No. 3 USC
10-2
1
2
3
4
F
Southern California
2
1
4
2
9
UCLA
1
0
6
3
10
Bia Mantellato (Photo: Steve Urbatsch)
No. 2 Women's Water Polo Beats No. 3 USC in 10-9 Thriller
February 14, 2026 | Women's Water Polo
IRVINE, Calif. โ The second-ranked UCLA women's water polo team outlasted No. 3 USC in a 10-9 thriller Saturday afternoon at Anteater Aquatics Complex. The win moved UCLA into the Barbara Kalbus Invitational championship match, to be played against No. 1 Stanford Sunday at 1:30 p.m. PT.
Bia Mantellato turned in a standout performance for the Bruins (9-0), scoring a season-high six goals and adding five earned exclusions and two assists. Taylor Smith added a pair of goals. Lauren Steele matched her season high with 14 saves, including a lead-preserver in the game's final seconds. Emily Ausmus and Ava Stryker each logged three goals for the Trojans (10-2), while Anna Reed posted eight saves.
The teams combined for just four total goals in the first half, with USC taking a 3-1 lead into the break. Mantellato scored with 3:28 remaining in the first and Steele kept UCLA in striking distance with 10 saves across the initial 16 minutes.
Goals came early and often in the second half, with Smith cutting the Bruins' deficit in half at the 6:35 mark. The crosstown rivals alternated their next four goals, with Mantellato tallying both for UCLA. Tali Stryker leveled the score at 3:18, setting off a flurry of goals over the ensuing 58 seconds. Ausmus answered at 3:00, Lineback responded on behalf of the Bruins at 2:40 and Ava Stryker pushed the Trojans back in front. Mantellato then provided the equalizer with 31 seconds left.
Smith gave UCLA its first lead when she found the back of the net with 5:55 to go in the game. That score stood for more than three minutes before Mantellato recorded her fifth goal of the day. Alma Yaacobi struck back for the Trojans at 2:04, but Mantellato would answer once more for the difference. Ausmus scored with 52 seconds on the clock and USC would get one more opportunity in the final seconds, but Steele made the decisive stop.
No. 2 UCLA vs. No. 3 USC
6x5: UCLA โ 2/10, USC โ 1/6
Penalties: UCLA - 0/1, USC โ 0/0
USC Goals: Emily Ausmus 3, Ava Stryker 3, Maggie Johnson, Meghan McAninch, Alma Yaacobi
USC Saves: Anna Reed 8
UCLA Goals: Bia Mantellato 6, Taylor Smith 2, Emma Lineback, Tali Stryker
UCLA Saves: Lauren Steele 14
Bia Mantellato turned in a standout performance for the Bruins (9-0), scoring a season-high six goals and adding five earned exclusions and two assists. Taylor Smith added a pair of goals. Lauren Steele matched her season high with 14 saves, including a lead-preserver in the game's final seconds. Emily Ausmus and Ava Stryker each logged three goals for the Trojans (10-2), while Anna Reed posted eight saves.
The teams combined for just four total goals in the first half, with USC taking a 3-1 lead into the break. Mantellato scored with 3:28 remaining in the first and Steele kept UCLA in striking distance with 10 saves across the initial 16 minutes.
Goals came early and often in the second half, with Smith cutting the Bruins' deficit in half at the 6:35 mark. The crosstown rivals alternated their next four goals, with Mantellato tallying both for UCLA. Tali Stryker leveled the score at 3:18, setting off a flurry of goals over the ensuing 58 seconds. Ausmus answered at 3:00, Lineback responded on behalf of the Bruins at 2:40 and Ava Stryker pushed the Trojans back in front. Mantellato then provided the equalizer with 31 seconds left.
Smith gave UCLA its first lead when she found the back of the net with 5:55 to go in the game. That score stood for more than three minutes before Mantellato recorded her fifth goal of the day. Alma Yaacobi struck back for the Trojans at 2:04, but Mantellato would answer once more for the difference. Ausmus scored with 52 seconds on the clock and USC would get one more opportunity in the final seconds, but Steele made the decisive stop.
No. 2 UCLA vs. No. 3 USC
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| USC | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 9 |
| UCLA | 1 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 10 |
6x5: UCLA โ 2/10, USC โ 1/6
Penalties: UCLA - 0/1, USC โ 0/0
USC Goals: Emily Ausmus 3, Ava Stryker 3, Maggie Johnson, Meghan McAninch, Alma Yaacobi
USC Saves: Anna Reed 8
UCLA Goals: Bia Mantellato 6, Taylor Smith 2, Emma Lineback, Tali Stryker
UCLA Saves: Lauren Steele 14
Team Stats
USC
UCLA
Shots
34
28
Goals
9
10
Assists
8
6
Points
17
16
Exclusions
15
8
Steals
12
9
Sprints
4
0
1
Ava Stryker
4:04
Bia Mantellato
3:28
Emily Ausmus
1:14
2
Ava Stryker
6:04
3
Taylor Smith
6:35
Meghan McAninch
5:13
Bia Mantellato
4:40
Maggie Johnson
4:12
Bia Mantellato
4:00
Tali Stryker
3:18
Emily Ausmus
3:00
Emma Lineback
2:40
Ava Stryker
2:20
Bia Mantellato
0:31
4
Taylor Smith
5:55
Bia Mantellato
2:33
Alma Yaacobi
2:04
Bia Mantellato
1:18
Emily Ausmus
0:52
Game Leaders
Shots
9
Goals
2
Assists
1
Points
3
Shots
8
Goals
6
Assists
2
Points
8
Shots
3
Goals
1
Assists
1
Points
2
Shots
2
Goals
1
Assists
1
Points
2
Players Mentioned
ATK
/ Women's Water PoloCTR
/ Women's Water PoloATK
/ Women's Water Polo
GK
/ Women's Water PoloATK
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