Sunday, January 21
Santa Barbara, CA
10:30 AM
UCLA
3-0
14
at
11
UC Santa Barbara
2-1
1
2
3
4
F
UCLA
1
5
4
4
14
UC Santa Barbara
1
1
4
5
11
The Bruins had eight players score, led by a game-high four goals from sophomore Anna Pearson.
Photo by: Don Liebig/ASUCLA
No. 3 UCLA Roars Past No. 12 UCSB, 14-11
January 21, 2024 | Women's Water Polo
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. --ย No. 3 UCLA (3-0) used a dominant second period to post a 14-11 win at No. 12 UC Santaย Barbara (2-1) in the final gameย of the UCSB Winter Invitational at Santa Barbara High School on Sunday morning. UCLA improved to 46-2 all-time in the series history with the Gauchos.
The Bruins had eight players score in the contest, led by a game-high effort of fourย goals from sophomore Anna Pearson. Freshmen Panni Szegedi and Lauren Steele wereย the only other Bruins to turn in a multiple-goal game effort with two scores in the contest.
Freshman Lauren Steeleย got the start in the cage and played the first half and the final 0:38 of the game in the cage, tallying four saves and two steals while giving up four goals. She also went 2-for-2 from the field (wearing cap number two), scoring her second and third goals of the season. Additionally, she committed a penalty foul in the first possession of the game, but calmly denied the Gauchos' ensuing penalty shot. Freshman Joey Niz played all but the final 0:38 of the second half between the posts, recording three savesย while surrendering seven goals.
Both teams battled to a 1-1 draw by the end of the first period. Steele began the quarter being whistled for a penalty but made the ensuing stop to keep the Gauchos off the board (7:09). But on the next play, UCSB scored off the corner throw to go up 1-0. Pearson drew a penalty and freshman Natasha Kieckhafer converted it (2:58) to tie the game at 1-1, ending the scoring in the first period.
UCLA dominated the second quarter, 5-1, to take a 6-2 lead into the break. UCLA scored the first three goals of the quarter with sophomore Lily Gess scoring the first one (7:37), followed by graduate student Fiona Kuesis (6:44), and Pearson (5:52). The Gauchos scored a power play goal (4:10) to snap the streak, but Szegedi fired a shot past the Gaucho keeper (2:45) to answer, making it 5-2.ย Szegedi then scored again (0:53) to push the lead to 6-2, ending the scoring in the second period.
Both offenses put up four goals in the third quarter as UCLA took a 10-6ย lead heading into the final stanza. The Bruins struck first in the third when graduate student Brooke Doten scored a power play goal off an assist from sophomore Taylor Smith (7:23). Then Pearson scored her second of the game (5:42) to extend the lead to 8-2. After UCSBย scored, Kieckhafer set up fellow freshman Dania Innis for a score at two meters (5:08) to put the Bruins in front 9-4. The Gauchos added another power play goal (2:45) and then a strike from the front court (1:58) to cut the Bruins' lead to 9-6. But Steele entered the field again and scored her second goal of the season on a power play that was drawn by graduate student Hannah Palmer (0:14) to end the scoring in the period.
UCSB won the fourth period, 5-4, to provide the 14-11 final. The Bruins called timeout with 6:00 to go and sophomore Genoa Rossi delivered her first goal of the season (5:38) to push the lead to 11-6. UCSB would score back-to-back goals (4:55 and 4:01), but Pearson stepped up to complete her hat trick on a power play off a feed from freshman Becca Melanson (3:36) to make it 12-8. Then Steele scored her second of the game on a power play and off an assist from Palmer (2:25) to push the lead to 13-8. UCSB answered with two straight goals (2:11 and 1:30) to pull to within three goals at 13-10, but the Gauchos couldn't get any closer. Pearson would draw a penalty with 0:29 left in the game and then converted it for her fourth score of the game. UCSB would end the scoring with a 7-on-6 goal at the buzzer.
UP NEXT: The Bruins travel to Berkeley, Calif., to participate in the California Cup (Jan. 27-28). UCLA will open with an exhibition game against No. 1 Stanford at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 27, followed by a contest against No. 11 UC Davis at 1:00 p.m.
No. 3 UCLA atย No. 12 UC Santa Barbara (UCSB Winter Invitationalย - Game 3)
6x5 -ย UCLA - 5/9 - UCSB - 2/9
Penalties -ย UCLA - 2/2 - UCSB - 0/1
UCLA Goals:ย Anna Pearson 4, Lauren Steele 2, Panni Szegedi 2, Fiona Kuesis 1, Brooke Doten 1, Dania Innis 1, Natasha Kieckhafer 1, Lily Gess 1, Genoa Rossi 1
UCLA Saves:ย Lauren Steele 4, Joey Niz 3
UCSB Goals:ย Aidan Flynn 3, Imani Clemons 2, Leigh Lyter 2, Emily Ferguson 2, Annie Kuester 1, Juju Amaral 1
UCSB Saves:ย Madison Walker 11
ย
The Bruins had eight players score in the contest, led by a game-high effort of fourย goals from sophomore Anna Pearson. Freshmen Panni Szegedi and Lauren Steele wereย the only other Bruins to turn in a multiple-goal game effort with two scores in the contest.
Freshman Lauren Steeleย got the start in the cage and played the first half and the final 0:38 of the game in the cage, tallying four saves and two steals while giving up four goals. She also went 2-for-2 from the field (wearing cap number two), scoring her second and third goals of the season. Additionally, she committed a penalty foul in the first possession of the game, but calmly denied the Gauchos' ensuing penalty shot. Freshman Joey Niz played all but the final 0:38 of the second half between the posts, recording three savesย while surrendering seven goals.
Both teams battled to a 1-1 draw by the end of the first period. Steele began the quarter being whistled for a penalty but made the ensuing stop to keep the Gauchos off the board (7:09). But on the next play, UCSB scored off the corner throw to go up 1-0. Pearson drew a penalty and freshman Natasha Kieckhafer converted it (2:58) to tie the game at 1-1, ending the scoring in the first period.
UCLA dominated the second quarter, 5-1, to take a 6-2 lead into the break. UCLA scored the first three goals of the quarter with sophomore Lily Gess scoring the first one (7:37), followed by graduate student Fiona Kuesis (6:44), and Pearson (5:52). The Gauchos scored a power play goal (4:10) to snap the streak, but Szegedi fired a shot past the Gaucho keeper (2:45) to answer, making it 5-2.ย Szegedi then scored again (0:53) to push the lead to 6-2, ending the scoring in the second period.
Both offenses put up four goals in the third quarter as UCLA took a 10-6ย lead heading into the final stanza. The Bruins struck first in the third when graduate student Brooke Doten scored a power play goal off an assist from sophomore Taylor Smith (7:23). Then Pearson scored her second of the game (5:42) to extend the lead to 8-2. After UCSBย scored, Kieckhafer set up fellow freshman Dania Innis for a score at two meters (5:08) to put the Bruins in front 9-4. The Gauchos added another power play goal (2:45) and then a strike from the front court (1:58) to cut the Bruins' lead to 9-6. But Steele entered the field again and scored her second goal of the season on a power play that was drawn by graduate student Hannah Palmer (0:14) to end the scoring in the period.
UCSB won the fourth period, 5-4, to provide the 14-11 final. The Bruins called timeout with 6:00 to go and sophomore Genoa Rossi delivered her first goal of the season (5:38) to push the lead to 11-6. UCSB would score back-to-back goals (4:55 and 4:01), but Pearson stepped up to complete her hat trick on a power play off a feed from freshman Becca Melanson (3:36) to make it 12-8. Then Steele scored her second of the game on a power play and off an assist from Palmer (2:25) to push the lead to 13-8. UCSB answered with two straight goals (2:11 and 1:30) to pull to within three goals at 13-10, but the Gauchos couldn't get any closer. Pearson would draw a penalty with 0:29 left in the game and then converted it for her fourth score of the game. UCSB would end the scoring with a 7-on-6 goal at the buzzer.
UP NEXT: The Bruins travel to Berkeley, Calif., to participate in the California Cup (Jan. 27-28). UCLA will open with an exhibition game against No. 1 Stanford at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 27, followed by a contest against No. 11 UC Davis at 1:00 p.m.
No. 3 UCLA atย No. 12 UC Santa Barbara (UCSB Winter Invitationalย - Game 3)
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| No. 3 UCLA | 1 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 14 |
| No. 12 UCSB | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 11 |
Penalties -ย UCLA - 2/2 - UCSB - 0/1
UCLA Goals:ย Anna Pearson 4, Lauren Steele 2, Panni Szegedi 2, Fiona Kuesis 1, Brooke Doten 1, Dania Innis 1, Natasha Kieckhafer 1, Lily Gess 1, Genoa Rossi 1
UCLA Saves:ย Lauren Steele 4, Joey Niz 3
UCSB Goals:ย Aidan Flynn 3, Imani Clemons 2, Leigh Lyter 2, Emily Ferguson 2, Annie Kuester 1, Juju Amaral 1
UCSB Saves:ย Madison Walker 11
ย
Team Stats
UCLA
UCSB
Shots
33
28
Goals
14
11
Assists
9
8
Points
23
19
Exclusions
10
11
Steals
4
7
Sprints
3
1
1
Annie Kuester
6:37
Natasha Kieckhafer
2:58
2
Lily Gess
7:37
Fiona Kuesis
6:44
Anna Pearson
5:52
Imani Clemons
4:10
Panni Szegedi
2:45
Panni Szegedi
0:53
3
Brooke Doten
7:23
Anna Pearson
5:42
Leigh Lyter
5:23
Dania Innis
5:08
Aidan Flynn
4:47
Imani Clemons
2:45
Emily Ferguson
1:58
Lauren Steele
0:14
4
Genoa Rossi
5:38
Leigh Lyter
4:55
Aidan Flynn
4:01
Anna Pearson
3:36
Lauren Steele
2:25
Juju Amaral
2:11
Emily Ferguson
1:30
Anna Pearson
0:29
Aidan Flynn
0:01
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
10
Goals
4
Assists
0
Points
4
Shots
4
Goals
2
Assists
0
Points
2
Shots
4
Goals
0
Assists
1
Points
1
Shots
3
Goals
1
Assists
1
Points
2
Players Mentioned
ATK
/ Women's Water Polo
CTR
/ Women's Water PoloUTL
/ Women's Water Polo
ATK
/ Women's Water PoloATK
/ Women's Water Polo
ATK
/ Women's Water Polo
UTL
/ Women's Water Polo
UTL
/ Women's Water Polo
ATK
/ Women's Water Polo
GK
/ Women's Water PoloUTL
/ Women's Water PoloNo. 4 UCLA vs. No. 3 Hawai'i Highlights
Monday, April 14
Highlights - UCLA W. Water Polo vs. Princeton (March 13, 2025)
Friday, March 14
UCLA vs. Princeton
Thursday, March 13
No. 4 UCLA vs. No. 15 Indiana
Sunday, March 09