UCLA
Arizona State
No. 4 UCLA Too Much for No. 6 Arizona State, 6-3
March 31, 2018 | Women's Water Polo
LOS ANGELES – The No. 4 UCLA women's water polo team endured a test from No. 6 Arizona State, but passed it with a big second quarter and stifling defense en route to a 6-3 conference win. The Bruins improved to 21-3 (2-1 MPSF), while the Sun Devils fell to 14-7 (0-3).
Bronte Halligan, Devin Grab, Maddie Musselman and Grace Reego scored four unanswered goals in the span of 3:42 in the second quarter to make the difference. Halligan led the Bruins with a pair of scoring strikes. Goalkeeper Carlee Kapana tallied six saves in the cage.
The Sun Devils got on the board first, as Bente Rogge scored with 6:01 to go in the opening frame. The Bruins were repeatedly denied in deep by Arizona State goalie Mia Rycraw and her supporting cast, unable to break through. Opportunity would soon arise for UCLA, though.
A big save by Kapana and subsequent counterattack pulled the Bruins even in the second, as Halligan cashed in an opportunity at 3:49. A little over a minute later, Devin Grab fired one past Rycraw to give the Bruins their first lead of the game. At 2:00, Musselman broke out ahead of the Sun Devil defense and would not be denied of her 43rd goal of the season. Finally, Grace Reego was able to power one home with just seven seconds remaining in the half to send the Bruins to the break with plenty of momentum. Just as the Sun Devils kept the Bruins scoreless in the game's first eight minutes, Kapana and the UCLA defense returned the favor with denial after denial in the second.
Halligan notched her sixth multi-goal game of the season just 28 seconds into the third quarter, giving the Bruins their fifth straight goal of the game and extending their lead to a game-high four. The Sun Devils would answer, though, as Julia Reyes (5:44) and Rogge (1:17) each tallied an extra-player goal to make it a 5-3 game heading into the fourth.
Kapana and the Bruin defense would again go into lockdown mode in the fourth, ensuring Arizona State would not get any closer. Lizette Rozeboom scored her 37th goal of the season on a six-on-five opportunity (4:48), and Kapana would turn away a penalty shot at 3:40 to seal the deal.
The Bruins will complete their home schedule Saturday, April 7, when No. 2 Stanford visits on Senior Day. Play from Spieker will begin at noon, with Pac-12 Networks televising the MPSF contest. The Bruins will also honor the 1998 and 2008 national championship-winning teams and the 20th and 10th anniversaries, respectively, of their titles.
No. 4 UCLA 6, No. 6 Arizona State 3
No. 6 Arizona State (1, 0, 2, 0 – 3)
GOALS: Rogge – 2; Reyes – 1
SAVES: Rycraw – 10
No. 4 UCLA (0, 4, 1, 1 – 6)
GOALS: Halligan – 2; Grab, Musselman, Reego, Rozeboom – 1
SAVES: Kapana – 6
