UCLA
3-0
Fresno State
3-3
No. 1 UCLA Defeats No. 9 Fresno State, 18-14
January 26, 2025 | Women's Water Polo
BERKELEY, Calif. โ No. 1 UCLA (3-0, 0-0 MPSF) concluded the California Cup with an 18-14 win over No. 9 Fresno State (3-3) late Sunday afternoonย at Spieker Aquatics Complex. UCLA extended its winning streak to 29 straight games and improved to 8-0 against the Bulldogs in the series history.
A total of 10 different Bruins scored against Fresno State, paced by a career-high of six goals for junior Anna Pearson. Three other Bruins scored multiple goals in the win, which included two scores each from junior Lily Gess, redshirt junior Emma Lineback, and sophomore goalkeeper Lauren Steele.
Steele got the start in the cage and played all of the first half and six minutes of the second half, tallying five saves, two steals, and scoring both goals on 7-on-6 plays at the end of the first and fourth quarters, while allowing 10 goals. Sophomore Joey Niz played the other 10 minutes in the cage, recording two stops and one steal while giving up four goals.
The Bruins led 6-3 at the end of the first period and looked to have the game under control leading 9-3 with 4:25 remaining in the second period after a power play score from junior Genoa Rossi. UCLA held a 10-5 lead at the 3:15 mark of the same period when the Bulldogs scored three unanswered to pull to within two scores at 10-8 with 1:10 to go in the first half. Pearson completed her hat trick to end the scoring in the second period (0:56) to put the Bruins up 11-8.ย The Bruins jumped on Fresno State right after the break, scoring four more goals to build a 15-8 lead with 4:05 to go in the third. But FSU wouldn't go quietly, scoring the final two goals of the period to cut the deficit to 15-10 heading into the fourth. The Bulldogs would win the fourth quarter, 4-3, to provide the 18-14 final.
Up Next: The Bruins head to UC San Diego to defend their Triton Invitational championship title from Jan. 31-Feb. 2. The schedule has not been announced, but should be early in the week.
ย
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| No. 9 FSU | 3 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 14 |
| No. 1 UCLA | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 18 |
6x5 -ย UCLA - 5/7 - FSU - 2/8
Penalties -ย UCLA - 0/0 - FSUย - 3/3
FSU Goals:ย Brooke Ochoa 5,ย Hailey Andress 5, Abbey Simshauser 1, Elisa Grimย 1, Megan Cranley 1, Kira Anderson 1
FSU Saves:ย Ida Tully-Giles 6
UCLA Goals:ย Anna Pearson 6, Lauren Steele 2, Emma Lineback 2, Lily Gess 2, Becca Melanson 1, Natasha Kieckhafer 1, Molly Renner 1, Jojo Walters 1, Jenna Human 1, Genoa Rossiย 1
UCLA Saves:ย Lauren Steele 5, Joey Niz 2
ย
Team Stats
Abbey Simshauser
07:42
Becca Melanson
07:20
Natasha Kieckhafer
06:51
Brooke Ochoa
06:38
Lily Gess
03:56
Anna Pearson
03:21
Brooke Ochoa
03:03
Lily Gess
02:38
Lauren Steele
00:02
Anna Pearson
07:32
Jenna Human
05:04
Genoa Rossi
04:25
Brooke Ochoa
04:08
Brooke Ochoa
03:27
Emma Lineback
03:15
Kira Anderson
03:02
Hailey Andress
02:38
Megan Cranley
01:10
Anna Pearson
00:56
Anna Pearson
07:38
Molly Renner
06:57
Anna Pearson
05:23
Jojo Walters
04:05
Hailey Andress
03:38
Hailey Andress
00:21
Anna Pearson
07:36
Hailey Andress
06:10
Brooke Ochoa
04:18
Elisa Grim
01:55
Emma Lineback
01:45
Hailey Andress
00:22
Lauren Steele
00:01
