UCLA
4-0
UC San Diego
2-2
No. 3 UCLA Beats No. 9 UC San Diego, 11-6
January 23, 2022 | Women's Water Polo
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SANTA BARBARA, Calif. --ย No. 3 UCLA (4-0,ย 0-0ย MPSF) remained undefeated on the opening weekend with an 11-6 win over No. 9 UC San Diegoย (2-2, 0-0 Big West) on Sunday afternoonย at the UC Santa Barbara Winter Invite at UCSB'sย Campus Pool.ย UCLA improved to 32-3 in the series history.
Freshman utility Nicole Struss paced the Bruins' offense with the first hat trick of her collegiate career as she tied for game-high scoring honors. Redshirt senior attacker Maddie Musselman was the only other Bruin to score multiple goals, finishing with two against the Tritons.
Redshirt junior Georgia Phillips got the start in the cage and went the distance, registering 12 saves and a steal while giving up six goals.
Ciara Franke also scored a hat trick for UCSD.
PERIOD ONE
> UCLA outscored UCSD 4-2ย in the opening period.
> Senior center Ava Johnson put the Bruins on the board first with a goal from two meters (7:13).
> Senior defender Bella Wentzelย made it 2-0 with a power play goalย (6:27).
> After Franke tied the game with back-to-back power play goalsย (6:04 and 5:23) senior attacker Val Ayala put the Bruins back in front (4:49).
> Freshman attacker Grace Myers gave the Bruins a 4-2 lead with a power play goalย (2:55)ย to end the scoring in the first.
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PERIOD TWO
> The Bruins and the Tritons competed to a 2-2 drawย in the second period.
> After UCSD tied the game at 4-4 with a pair of answered goals, the Bruins scored six straight to put the game away.
> Junior attacker Fiona Kuesisย ignited the scoring run with a goal from the front courtย (3:04).
> Senior defender Skylar Savar scored a power play goalย (2:15) to end the scoring in the period.
> UCLA led 6-4ย at the break.
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PERIOD THREE
> The Bruins pitched a shutout in the third frame while scoring three goals to take command of the game.
> Struss would score the first of her three goals (6:58) to open the scoring in the third quarter.
> Musselman scored her firstย of the game (2:38) to put UCLA up 8-4.
>ย Strussย scored from setย (0:55)ย as UCLA would take a 9-4 lead into the fourth quarter.
PERIOD FOUR
> The two teams again battled to a 2-2 draw inย the fourth period to provide the 11-6ย final score.
> Musselman opened the scoring in the fourth (6:49) to extend the lead to 10-4.
> After a goal by the Tritons, Struss completed her hat trick (5:27) to make it 11-5.
> Holly Maine scored the final goal of the game for UCSDย (0:58).
UP NEXT
The Bruins will complete the weekendย when theyย take on the hosts, No. 18 UC Santa Barbara at 5:45 p.m. PT tonight.
No. 3 UCLA vs. No. 9 UC San Diego (UCSB Winter Invite)
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| No. 9 UCSD | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 |
| No. 3 UCLA | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 11 |
6x5 -ย UCLA - 3/6 - UCSD - 3/8
Penalties -ย UCLA - 0/1 - UCSD - 0/1
UCSD Goals: Ciara Franke 3, Holly Maineย 1, Taylor Onstott 1, Lucia Doak 1
UCSD Saves:ย n/a
UCLA Goals:ย Nicole Struss 3, Maddie Musselmanย 2,ย Fiona Kuesisย 1, Bella Wentzel 1, Ava Johnson 1, Val Ayala 1, Grace Myersย 1, Skylar Savar 1
UCLA Saves:ย Georgia Phillips 12
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Team Stats
Ava Johnson
7:13
Bella Wentzel
6:27
Ciara Franke
6:04
Ciara Franke
5:23
Val Ayala
4:49
Grace Myers
2:55
Lucia Doak
7:31
Ciara Franke
3:52
Fiona Kuesis
3:04
Skylar Savar
2:15
Nicole Struss
6:58
Maddie Musselman
2:38
Nicole Struss
0:55
Maddie Musselman
6:49
Taylor Onstott
5:45
Nicole Struss
5:27
Holly Maine
0:58
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
