University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Saturday, March 7
Los Angeles, Calif.
1:00 PM (PT)
UCLA
12-2
9
vs
10
No. 1 Stanford
9-0
1
2
3
4
OT
OT
SD
SD
SD
SD
SD
F
Stanford (W)
4
2
2
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
10
UCLA (W)
3
3
2
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
9
Bia Mantellato
Photo by: Ross Turteltaub
No. 2 Women's Water Polo Outlasted by No. 1 Stanford 10-9
March 07, 2026 | Women's Water Polo
LOS ANGELES โ UCLA women's water polo fell 10-9 against Stanford Saturday at Spieker Aquatics Center in the season's second down-to-the-wire finish between the nation's two highest-ranked teams. No. 1 Stanford's Jenna Flynn delivered the deciding goal in a game that was tied seven times.
Four Bruins โ Lily Gess, Bia Mantellato, Taylor Smith and Elektra Urbatsch โ had two-goal games. Lauren Steele recorded eight saves for UCLA (12-2, 2-1 MPSF). Juliette Dhalluin had a game-high four goals for the Cardinal (9-0, 3-0). Flynn finished with three. Stanford's Christine Carpenter logged five saves.
Smith โ on a power play โ and Urbatsch answered Cardinal goals in the first, making the score 2-2 midway through the quarter. Stanford converted a penalty shot and scored again to double up the Bruins, but Gess found the back of the net with 16 seconds left to stop the mini run.
The Cardinal opened second-quarter scoring nearly three minutes into the frame. Gess (3:57) and Mantellato (3:21) pulled the Bruins level, setting off a flurry of goals that finished with another by Mantellato on a power play (2:41). The teams entered halftime tied 6-6.
Smith struck at 4:52 of the third quarter to give UCLA its first lead of the game. Stanford responded with a penalty make, but Urbatsch put the Bruins back on top during their next possession. The Cardinal tied it up once again, knotting things at 8-8 with eight minutes to go.
Stanford moved back in front with its third successful penalty shot of the day. Anna Pearson got on the board for UCLA with just under five minutes left, but Flynn provided the difference maker just over a minute later. Alternating defensive stops followed. Carpenter stopped her second penalty shot of the game during this stretch.
The Bruins will play three home games in four days starting Thursday against Princeton. San Jose State pays a visit Saturday and Fresno State drops in Sunday. Each of the three games begins at 1 p.m. PT.
No. 2 UCLA vs. No. 1 Stanford
6x5: Stanford โ 1/8, UCLA โ 2/8
Penalties: Stanford โ 3/3, UCLA โ 0/2
Stanford Goals: Juliette Dhalluin 4, Jenna Flynn 3, Serena Browne 1, Reagan McEachen 1, Ella Woodhead 1
Stanford Saves: Christine Carpenter 5
UCLA Goals: Lily Gess 2, Bia Mantellato 2, Taylor Smith 2, Elektra Urbatsch 2, Anna Pearson 1
UCLA Saves: Lauren Steele 8
Four Bruins โ Lily Gess, Bia Mantellato, Taylor Smith and Elektra Urbatsch โ had two-goal games. Lauren Steele recorded eight saves for UCLA (12-2, 2-1 MPSF). Juliette Dhalluin had a game-high four goals for the Cardinal (9-0, 3-0). Flynn finished with three. Stanford's Christine Carpenter logged five saves.
Smith โ on a power play โ and Urbatsch answered Cardinal goals in the first, making the score 2-2 midway through the quarter. Stanford converted a penalty shot and scored again to double up the Bruins, but Gess found the back of the net with 16 seconds left to stop the mini run.
The Cardinal opened second-quarter scoring nearly three minutes into the frame. Gess (3:57) and Mantellato (3:21) pulled the Bruins level, setting off a flurry of goals that finished with another by Mantellato on a power play (2:41). The teams entered halftime tied 6-6.
Smith struck at 4:52 of the third quarter to give UCLA its first lead of the game. Stanford responded with a penalty make, but Urbatsch put the Bruins back on top during their next possession. The Cardinal tied it up once again, knotting things at 8-8 with eight minutes to go.
Stanford moved back in front with its third successful penalty shot of the day. Anna Pearson got on the board for UCLA with just under five minutes left, but Flynn provided the difference maker just over a minute later. Alternating defensive stops followed. Carpenter stopped her second penalty shot of the game during this stretch.
The Bruins will play three home games in four days starting Thursday against Princeton. San Jose State pays a visit Saturday and Fresno State drops in Sunday. Each of the three games begins at 1 p.m. PT.
No. 2 UCLA vs. No. 1 Stanford
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| No. 1 Stanford | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| No. 2 UCLA | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 9 |
6x5: Stanford โ 1/8, UCLA โ 2/8
Penalties: Stanford โ 3/3, UCLA โ 0/2
Stanford Goals: Juliette Dhalluin 4, Jenna Flynn 3, Serena Browne 1, Reagan McEachen 1, Ella Woodhead 1
Stanford Saves: Christine Carpenter 5
UCLA Goals: Lily Gess 2, Bia Mantellato 2, Taylor Smith 2, Elektra Urbatsch 2, Anna Pearson 1
UCLA Saves: Lauren Steele 8
Team Stats
STA
UCL
Shots
28
32
Goals
10
9
Assists
2
8
Points
12
17
Exclusions
8
10
Steals
3
7
Sprints
2
2
1
Juliette Dhalluin
06:34
Taylor Smith
05:33
Reagan Mceachen
04:24
Elektra Urbatsch
04:03
Juliette Dhalluin
02:42
Ella Woodhead
01:20
Lily Gess
00:16
2
Jenna Flynn
05:09
Lily Gess
03:57
Bia Mantellato
03:21
Jenna Flynn
03:00
Bia Mantellato
02:41
3
Taylor Smith
04:52
Juliette Dhalluin
03:34
Elektra Urbatsch
03:17
Serena Browne
02:38
4
Juliette Dhalluin
06:45
Anna Pearson
04:56
Jenna Flynn
03:47
Game Leaders
Shots
5
Goals
2
Assists
2
Points
4
Shots
4
Goals
2
Assists
0
Points
2
Shots
4
Goals
1
Assists
0
Points
1
Players Mentioned
CTR
/ Women's Water PoloUTL
/ Women's Water PoloATK
/ Women's Water Polo
GK
/ Women's Water PoloATK
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UCLA vs. Princeton
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