No. 2 Women's Water Polo Downs No. 14 Princeton 12-4

Thursday, March 12

Los Angeles, Calif.

1:00 PM (PT)

UCLA

13-2

Princeton

16-3

Princeton 2026

UCLA (W)

Emma Lineback

Photo by: Ross Turteltaub

No. 2 Women's Water Polo Downs No. 14 Princeton 12-4

March 12, 2026 | Women's Water Polo

Box Score

LOS ANGELES – The second-ranked UCLA women's water polo team scored the last eight goals and 11 of the final 12 en route to a 12-4 victory against No. 14 Princeton Thursday at Spieker Aquatics Center. Princeton was held scoreless over the final 20:40 of play.

The Bruins' Emma Lineback converted a game-high three goals. Bia Mantellato and Taylor Smith scored two each, while Joey Niz had four saves for UCLA (13-2) in the non-conference contest. Lindsey Lucas piled up 11 stops in goal for the Tigers (16-3), who had a quartet of players score.

Anna Pearson of the Bruins scored at 7:28 of the first, but it was all Princeton the rest of the quarter. Tigers Olivia Krotts, Emese Batizi and Charlotte Riches tallied goals in order to give their team a 3-1 lead.

Momentum shifted quickly and dramatically in the second, as Lineback and Smith (two) scored the next three goals over the frame's initial 1:32. Vivian Golub momentarily pulled Princeton level at 4-4 (4:40), but it was all UCLA from there. Tali Stryker answered the Tiger goal immediately, Lineback posted her second and Mantellato capped the run with a buzzer beater.

Mantellato added her second just shy of the third quarter's midway point. Genoa Rossi added another in the final two minutes, pushing the Bruin lead to 9-4 with eight minutes remaining.

Lineback completed her first hat trick of the season with 6:43 left. Jojo Walters and Presley Jones added to UCLA's total, while Niz and the Bruin defense finished out their second-half shutout.

UCLA has another home game Saturday at 1 p.m. PT, when No. 18 San Jose State visits Spieker Aquatics Center. The Bruins' three-games-in-four-days stretch wraps up Sunday against No. 12 Fresno State, with that one also slated to start at 1 p.m.

No. 2 UCLA vs. No. 14 Princeton

SCOREBOARD	1	2	3	4	FINAL
No. 14 Princeton	3	1	0	0	4
No. 2 UCLA	1	6	2	3	12

6x5: Princeton – 1/6, UCLA – 3/9
Penalties: Princeton – 0/0, UCLA – 0/1

Princeton Goals: Emese Batizi 1, Vivian Golub 1, Olivia Krotts 1, Charlotte Riches 1
Princeton Saves: Lindsey Lucas 11

UCLA Goals: Emma Lineback 3, Bia Mantellato 2, Taylor Smith 2, Presley Jones 1, Anna Pearson 1, Genoa Rossi 1, Tali Stryker 1, Jojo Walters 1
UCLA Saves: Joey Niz 4