UCLA
5-0
UC San Diego
4-4
No. 1 UCLA Heads to Triton Finals with Two More Wins
February 01, 2025 | Women's Water Polo
LA JOLLA, Calif. โ No. 1 UCLA (6-0, 0-0 MPSF) advanced to the finals of the Triton Invitational with two wins over ranked teams at Canyonviewย Aquatic Center on Saturday. The Bruins opened with an 11-7 win atย No. 14 UC San Diego (4-4) in the quarterfinals and then ended the day with a 17-7 shellacking of No. 6 UC Irvine (3-2). UCLA extended its winning streak to 32 straight games and improved to 38-3 all-time against the Tritons and 37-0 against the Anteaters in the series history against both teams.
In the quarterfinals, 10 different Bruins scored against the Tritons, paced byย a pair of goals by sophomore Elektra Urbatsch. She was the only Bruin to score more than one goal in the win.ย
Sophomore Lauren Steele got the start in the cage and went the distance, tallying nine saves, three steals, and an assist, while allowing seven goals.
UCLA jumped out to a 5-1 lead at the end of the first period and UCSD never got closer than three goals the rest of the way. The Bruins battled to a 2-2 draw in the second period to build a 7-3 lead by halftime. In fact, the two teams would draw in each of the last three periods, including a 3-3 tie in the third with UCLA leading 10-6 heading into the final stanza. Both teams managed only one goal in the fourth period to provide the 11-7 final.
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| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| No. 1 UCLA | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 11 |
| No. 14 UCSD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
6x5 -ย UCLA - 3/5 - UCSD - 3/6
Penalties -ย UCLA - 1/2 - UCSD - 2/2
UCLA Goals:ย Elektra Urbatsch 2, Bia Mantellato 1, Emma Lineback 1, Natasha Kieckhafer 1, Molly Renner 1, Jojo Walters 1, Jenna Human 1, Genoa Rossi 1, Tali Stryker 1, Nicole Struss 1
UCLA Saves:ย Lauren Steele 9
UCSD Goals:ย Caroline Christl 3, Lucia Doak 1, Kendall Thomas 1, Sydney Munatones 1, Sofia Munatones 1
UCSD Saves:ย Bria Zwaschka 11
In the semifinals, aย total of 11 different Bruins scored in the win over UC Irvine, paced by a hat trick from redshirt junior Emma Lineback. Juniors Bia Mantellatoย and Taylor Smith, and sophomores Becca Melanson and Natasha Kieckhafer each added two scores for the Bruins.
Steele got the start again and played the first three periods, tallying a season-high 14 saves and two assists while allowing six goals. Sophomore Joey Niz played the fourth quarter and had four saves while giving up one goal.
Just like the game against the Tritons, the Bruins jumped on the Anteaters, winning the first period 4-1. UCLA built a 7-1 lead and won the second period, 5-3, to take a 9-4 lead into the break. The Bruins won the third period, 5-2, to build a 14-6 lead heading into the fourth period. UCLA won the final quarter, 3-1, to provide the 17-7 final.
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| No. 6ย UC Irvine | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 7 |
| No. 1 UCLA | 4 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 17 |
6x5 -ย UCLA - 7/11 - UCI - 4/10
Penalties -ย UCLA - 2/2 - UCI - 1/2
UCI Goals:ย Lauren Hett 2, Gracie Helberg 1, Brooke Hourigan 1, Kennedy Eastย 1, Pippa Heaverย 1, CHarley Birdsall 1
UCI Saves:ย UC San Diego did not track
UCLA Goals:ย Emma Lineback 3, Bia Mantellato 2,ย Taylor Smith 2, Becca Melanson 2, Natasha Kieckhafer 2, Carly McMurray 1, Molly Renner 1, Jojo Walters 1, Genoa Rossi 1, Tali Strykerย 1, Nicole Struss 1
UCLA Saves:ย Lauren Steele 14, Joey Niz 4
UP NEXT:ย
The Bruins seek to defend their Triton Invitational crown tomorrow with a 1:30 p.m. game against No. 3 USC (7-0) in the first meeting of the Crosstown Splashdown of 2025.
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Team Stats
Natasha Kieckhafer
7:13
Caroline Christl
5:11
Elektra Urbatsch
4:28
Genoa Rossi
2:41
Jojo Walters
1:14
Emma Lineback
0:23
Molly Renner
7:01
Lucia Doak
3:38
Sydney Munatones
2:51
Nicole Struss
0:34
Tali Stryker
7:22
Caroline Christl
7:08
Bia Mantellato
5:03
Jenna Human
2:38
Sofia Munatones
1:07
Kendall Thomas
0:29
Caroline Christl
7:07
Elektra Urbatsch
5:11
