Friday, February 23
Irvine, CA
10:00 AM
UCLA
11-0
18
vs
6
Cal State Fullerton
4-5
1
2
3
4
F
Cal State Fullerton
2
4
0
0
6
UCLA
6
6
1
5
18
The Bruins had 10 players score in the contest, paced by a season- and career-high four goals from freshman Becca Melanson, who also added two assists for a game-high six points.
Photo by: Don Liebig/ASUCLA
No. 1 UCLA Thrashes the Titans, 18-6
February 23, 2024 | Women's Water Polo
IRVINE, Calif.ย --ย No. 1 UCLA (11-0, 1-0 MPSF) used a strong offensive first half and a strong defensive effort in the second half to remain undefeated on the year with an 18-6 winย over Cal State Fullertonย (4-5) in the opening game of the Barbara Kalbus Invitational at the Anteater Aquatics Complex on Friday morning. This marked the first meeting between the two teams (the Titans are in their second year of program existence).
The Bruins had 10 players score in the contest, paced by a season- and career-high four goals from freshman Becca Melanson, who also added two assists for a game-high six points. Junior Molly Renner tied her career high with the first hat trick of the season. Junior Nicole Struss, sophomore Carly McMurray, and freshman Dania Innis all tied their season and career highs with two goals against the Titans.
Freshman Lauren Steeleย got the start in the cage and played the first quarter, recording one save and one assist while allowing two goals (one penalty and one power play). Senior Sydney Chiang played the final three quarters and after a rocky start giving up four goals in the second quarter (one power play and three from two meters), she and the Bruins' defense rallied to pitch a shutout in the second half with Chiang making five stops and recording one steal.
The Bruins jumped out to a 6-2 lead at the end of the first period, which featured two goals (the first two of the game) by Renner on a penalty conversion and a counter.
UCLA won the second quarter, 6-4, to take a 12-6 lead into the break. The second period featured a hat trick by Melanson, who scored twice from the front court and once on a counter.
McMurray scored the only goal of the third period with a strike from the front court (3:22) to put the Bruins in front, 13-6, heading into the final stanza.
UCLA put up five more goals in the fourth period to provide the 18-6 final. Five different Bruins scored once in the fourth period (Struss, Innis, Melanson, Renner, and McMurray).
UP NEXT: The Bruins will face the winner of No. 8 Michigan/No. 10 UC Irvine at 8:00 a.m. in the quarterfinalsย of the Barbara Kalbus Invitational at the Marian Bergeson Aquatics Center at Corona del Mar High Schoolย on Saturday, Feb. 24.
No. 1 UCLA vs. Cal State Fullerton (Barbara Kalbus Invitational - First Roundย - Game 11)
6x5 -ย UCLA - 0/4 - CSF - 1/5
Penalties -ย UCLA - 2/2 - CSF - 1/1
CSF Goals:ย Destiny Hernandez 2, Gabrielle Zaretskiy 2, Faithย Cuevas 1, Shyanne Rainey 1
CSF Saves:ย Annabelle Sherman 8, Haden Skye Bates 1
UCLA Goals:ย Becca Melanson 4, Molly Renner 3, Carly McMurray 2, Dania Innis 2, Nicole Struss 2, Taylor Smith 1, Lily Gess 1, Olivia Ouellette 1, Genoa Rossi 1, Panni Szegedi 1
UCLA Saves:ย Sydney Chiang 5, Lauren Steele 1
ย
The Bruins had 10 players score in the contest, paced by a season- and career-high four goals from freshman Becca Melanson, who also added two assists for a game-high six points. Junior Molly Renner tied her career high with the first hat trick of the season. Junior Nicole Struss, sophomore Carly McMurray, and freshman Dania Innis all tied their season and career highs with two goals against the Titans.
Freshman Lauren Steeleย got the start in the cage and played the first quarter, recording one save and one assist while allowing two goals (one penalty and one power play). Senior Sydney Chiang played the final three quarters and after a rocky start giving up four goals in the second quarter (one power play and three from two meters), she and the Bruins' defense rallied to pitch a shutout in the second half with Chiang making five stops and recording one steal.
The Bruins jumped out to a 6-2 lead at the end of the first period, which featured two goals (the first two of the game) by Renner on a penalty conversion and a counter.
UCLA won the second quarter, 6-4, to take a 12-6 lead into the break. The second period featured a hat trick by Melanson, who scored twice from the front court and once on a counter.
McMurray scored the only goal of the third period with a strike from the front court (3:22) to put the Bruins in front, 13-6, heading into the final stanza.
UCLA put up five more goals in the fourth period to provide the 18-6 final. Five different Bruins scored once in the fourth period (Struss, Innis, Melanson, Renner, and McMurray).
UP NEXT: The Bruins will face the winner of No. 8 Michigan/No. 10 UC Irvine at 8:00 a.m. in the quarterfinalsย of the Barbara Kalbus Invitational at the Marian Bergeson Aquatics Center at Corona del Mar High Schoolย on Saturday, Feb. 24.
No. 1 UCLA vs. Cal State Fullerton (Barbara Kalbus Invitational - First Roundย - Game 11)
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| CS Fullerton | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| No. 3 UCLA | 6 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 18 |
Penalties -ย UCLA - 2/2 - CSF - 1/1
CSF Goals:ย Destiny Hernandez 2, Gabrielle Zaretskiy 2, Faithย Cuevas 1, Shyanne Rainey 1
CSF Saves:ย Annabelle Sherman 8, Haden Skye Bates 1
UCLA Goals:ย Becca Melanson 4, Molly Renner 3, Carly McMurray 2, Dania Innis 2, Nicole Struss 2, Taylor Smith 1, Lily Gess 1, Olivia Ouellette 1, Genoa Rossi 1, Panni Szegedi 1
UCLA Saves:ย Sydney Chiang 5, Lauren Steele 1
ย
Team Stats
CSF
UCLA
Shots
21
33
Goals
6
18
Assists
6
13
Points
12
31
Exclusions
6
6
Steals
4
15
Sprints
0
4
1
Molly Renner
7:48
Molly Renner
7:17
Destiny Hernandez
6:42
Nicole Struss
6:25
Genoa Rossi
4:45
Olivia Ouellette
2:07
Destiny Hernandez
1:42
Dania Innis
1:27
2
Becca Melanson
7:41
Taylor Smith
6:41
Faith Cuevas
6:05
Shyanne Rainey
5:22
Lily Gess
4:18
Becca Melanson
2:18
Gabrielle Zaretskiy
2:04
Becca Melanson
1:41
Gabrielle Zaretskiy
1:20
Panni Szegedi
0:05
3
Carly McMurray
3:22
4
Nicole Struss
6:32
Becca Melanson
5:35
Dania Innis
4:32
Molly Renner
1:01
Carly McMurray
0:18
Game Leaders
Shots
5
Goals
2
Assists
0
Points
2
Shots
4
Goals
4
Assists
2
Points
6
Shots
4
Goals
3
Assists
1
Points
4
Shots
3
Goals
2
Assists
0
Points
2
Players Mentioned
GK
/ Women's Water Polo
CTR
/ Women's Water Polo
ATK
/ Women's Water PoloATK
/ Women's Water Polo
UTL
/ Women's Water PoloATK
/ Women's Water Polo
UTL
/ Women's Water Polo
ATK
/ Women's Water Polo
GK
/ Women's Water PoloUTL
/ Women's Water Polo
UTL
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