UCLA
California (Semifinal)
UCLA Women's Water Polo Downs California, 9-5
May 10, 2015 | Women's Water Polo
Kodi Hill and Alys Williams each netted two goals for the Bruins (26-2) who will play in the NCAA Tournament's title match on Sunday against Stanford at 5:30 p.m. (PT).
The Bruins, who improved to 3-0 against California this season, have earned their 10th trip to the tournament's title match in the 15-year history of the women's water polo NCAA Tournament.
"The team played fantastic," UCLA head coach Brandon Brooks said. "They played excellent defense and played as a team and found a way to get a win. We controlled the game like we wanted to. We exhibited great poise, and I'm very happy that we're moving on and have a chance to play for a national championship."
California (20-8) was led by two goals apiece from Roser Tarrago and Dora Antal.
UCLA led throughout the semifinal match, securing a 2-0 lead after one quarter and a 4-1 advantage by halftime.
Williams scored the game's first goal, finding the back of the cage at the 4:17 mark in the opening quarter. Fattal followed, scoring with 1:32 to play in the first period.
The Bruins pushed their lead to three goals on a no-look shot from two-meters from Hill with 4:12 to play before halftime. India Forster's goal at the 3:10 mark in the second frame gave UCLA a 4-0 lead. California got on the board with a goal from Tarrago with 2:39 left before intermission.
California reduced the Bruins' lead to 4-3 midway through the third quarter. The Golden Bears received consecutive goals from Kindred Paul (6:11) and Antal (3:57) before the Bruins responded with a pair of goals to close the third quarter.
Fattal registered her second goal of the day at the 3:28 mark in the third frame before Hill netted her second goal of the match with 2:25 to play in the third quarter.
“I think that my message has stayed the same, to bear down, to stay with what we have been doing," said Brooks, in reference to holding off California's third-quarter comeback. "It's worked so far. You've got to give credit to Cal. They have two of the best shooters in the world in [Roser] Tarrago and [Dora] Antal. You can't always stop them. We take those opportunities and they score a good goal, and you've got to regroup and go back at it."
UCLA outscored California by a 3-2 margin in the fourth quarter, pushing its lead to as many as five goals (8-3 and 9-4) late in the final period.
UCLA goalkeeper Sami Hill was credited with seven saves. California goalkeeper Madeline Trabucco registered seven stops in the cage.
"As always my teammates really opened me up," Fattal said. "I can't do anything without my teammates. They passed the ball to me and I'm just lucky enough to be able to shoot it."
Sunday's NCAA Tournament title game will feature a live online stream, available at ncaa.com (or by clicking here).
UCLA NOTES: The Bruins clinched their 14th trip to the national tournament title match in the 21-year history of the sport's national collegiate tournament ... UCLA has won 11 national titles, including seven NCAA championships (women's water polo became a sanctioned NCAA sport in 2001), most recently capturing the NCAA title in 2009 ... the Bruins dropped a 9-5 decision to Stanford in the NCAA championship match last season ... UCLA has compiled a 3-2 all-time record versus Stanford in the NCAA title game.
California vs. UCLA
NCAA Tournament Semifinal – at Stanford
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F | |
| California | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| UCLA | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 9 |
California Goals: Dora Antal 2, Roser Tarrago 2, Kindred Paul
California Saves: Madeline Trabucco 7
UCLA Goals: Rachel Fattal 3, Kodi Hill 2, Alys Williams 2, Mackenzie Barr, India Forster
UCLA Saves: Sami Hill 7
