UCLA
Pacific
No. 2 UCLA Surges Past No. 21 Pacific, 14-3
February 21, 2020 | Women's Water Polo
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IRVINE, Calif. --ย No. 2 UCLA (15-1, 1-0 MPSF) used an impressive defensive effort to defeat No. 21 Pacific (2-8), 14-3, in the first round of the Barbara Kalbus Invitational on Friday afternoon at the Anteaterย Aquatics Complex. The Bruins improved to 26-0ย all-time against the Tigers.
The Bruins were led in scoring by sophomore Bella Baiaย (four points), who scored two goals and had two assists. In all, six Bruins scored at least two goals against the Tigers. Junior Jahmea Bent got the start in the cage for the Bruins, playing the first three quarters, tallying five saves while allowing two power play scores. Freshman Quinn Winter played the fourth quarter, registering two saves while giving up one power play goal.
UCLA'sย stingy defense pitched a shutout in the first period as the Bruins led 2-0 at the end of one. Freshman Hannah Palmer got the Bruins on the board first with a strike from the front court (6:54) on an assist by senior Emily Skelly. Junior Roxy Wheaton ended the scoring in the first period with a strike from the front court (2:31) off a feed fromย Baia.
Baiaย extended the lead to 3-0 with a goal on a counter (3:07) off a pass from sophomore Katrina Drake. After a power play goal from the Tigers' Brianna Utas (1:01), Baia struck again from the front court (0:39) to end the scoring in the period with the Bruins leading 4-1 at the break.
The Bruins broke the game open with a six-goal effort in the third period. After another power play goal by Pacific,ย Skelly scoredย with a goal from the front court (6:55) off a feed from Simmons to put UCLA up 5-2. Junior Lexi Liebowitz scored on a counter attack on the Bruins' next possession (6:39), followed by a second goal from Skellyย from the front court (6:14) off a feed from freshman Abbi Hill to push the lead to 7-2. Then Hill would get in on the scoring (5:16) followed by a counter scoreย by sophomore Ava Johnson (0:56) to put UCLA up 9-2. Hill's second goal of the game on a front court strike (0:07) ended the scoring in the third period, putting the Bruins up 10-2.
Palmer opened the scoring in the fourth period for the Bruins from the front court (7:35) off an assist by sophomore Val Ayala to push the lead to 11-2. Then Johnson netted her second of the game on a power play (3:49) off a nice feed from Drake to make it 12-2. The Bruins' ninth-straight goal was scored by Wheaton (2:51), her second of the game on a front court strike, that put UCLA up 13-2. After a power play goal by Pacific's Toula Falvey, Drake scored on a power play for the Bruins (0:08) to provide the 14-3 final.
UCLAย returns to action tomorrow in the quarterfinals ofย the Barbaraย Kalbus Invitational and will face the winner of No. 7 California and No. 10 Michigan at 10:30 a.m. PT on Saturday, Feb. 22.
No. 2 UCLA vs. No. 21 Pacific (Game 16 - Barbara Kalbus Invitational - First Round)
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| No. 21 Pacific | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| No. 2 UCLA | 2 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 14 |
6x5 -ย UCLA - 2/3 - PAC - 3/7
Penalties -ย UCLA - 0/0 - PAC - 0/0
PAC Goals:ย Toula Falvey 2, Brianna Utas 1
PAC Saves:ย Samantha Pfaffย 10
UCLA Goals:ย Abbi Hill 2, Hannah Palmer 2, Bella Baia 2, Ava Johnson 2, Roxy Wheaton 2, Emily Skelly 2, Katrina Drake 1, Lexi Liebowitz 1
UCLA Saves:ย Jahmea Bent 5, Quinn Winter 2
