University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Sunday, February 15
Irvine, Calif.
1:30 PM (PT)
UCLA
7
vs
8
No. 1 Stanford
Lauren Steele (Photo: Steve Urbatsch)
No. 2 Women's Water Polo Falls 8-7 to No. 1 Stanford
February 15, 2026 | Women's Water Polo
IRVINE, Calif. โ The second-ranked UCLA women's water polo team fell to No. 1 Stanford in a thrilling Barbara Kalbus Invitational championship match Sunday, falling 8-7 at Anteater Aquatics Complex. UCLA nearly overcame a four-goal deficit, but could not pull level.
Emma Lineback and Bia Mantellato scored two goals each to lead the Bruins (9-1). UCLA's Lauren Steele had 13 saves, including eight in the fourth quarter alone. Jenna Flynn posted a hat trick and Juliette Dhalluin added a pair of goals for the Cardinal (6-0). Christine Carpenter logged eight saves to get the win.
Stanford scored the game's first three goals and nearly held the Bruins scoreless for the opening frame before Mantellato beat the quarter buzzer for a power-play goal. The Cardinal lead grew to 5-1 at 5:33 of the second, when Flynn scored the last of her three goals. Carly McMurray (2:38) and Anna Pearson (1:10) snapped UCLA's spell with back-to-back conversions, the second of which on a power play. A penalty shot by Dhalluin placed the halftime score at 6-3.
Another extra-player chance was capitalized on by Lineback to lead off the third quarter. Mantellato's 10th goal of the tournament then pulled her team within one at 5:16. Dhalluin momentarily pushed the difference back to two, but Katherine O'Dea and the Bruins were able to answer once again. Lucy Haaland Ford's goal with seven seconds left made Stanford's lead 8-6 with eight minutes to go.
Just as she did in the third quarter, Lineback started off the fourth with a goal. That proved to be the end of scoring as Steele and Carpenter traded stops. UCLA took a timeout with 41 seconds remaining to set up the final offensive opportunity, but Taylor Smith's try could not find the net.
The Bruins next travel to Northern California for a meeting with No. 4 California Saturday, Feb. 21. Play from Spieker Aquatics Complex, in what also represents the teams' MPSF opener, begins at 1 p.m. PT.
No. 2 UCLA vs. No. 1 Stanford
6x5: UCLA โ 4/16, USC โ 3/8
Penalties: UCLA - 0/1, Stanford โ 1/1
UCLA Goals: Emma Lineback 2, Bia Mantellato 2, Carly McMurray, Katherine O'Dea, Anna Pearson
UCLA Saves: Lauren Steele 13
Stanford Goals: Jenna Flynn 3, Juliette Dhalluin 2, Serena Browne, Lucy Haaland-Ford, Claire Minton
Stanford Saves: Christine Carpenter 8
Emma Lineback and Bia Mantellato scored two goals each to lead the Bruins (9-1). UCLA's Lauren Steele had 13 saves, including eight in the fourth quarter alone. Jenna Flynn posted a hat trick and Juliette Dhalluin added a pair of goals for the Cardinal (6-0). Christine Carpenter logged eight saves to get the win.
Stanford scored the game's first three goals and nearly held the Bruins scoreless for the opening frame before Mantellato beat the quarter buzzer for a power-play goal. The Cardinal lead grew to 5-1 at 5:33 of the second, when Flynn scored the last of her three goals. Carly McMurray (2:38) and Anna Pearson (1:10) snapped UCLA's spell with back-to-back conversions, the second of which on a power play. A penalty shot by Dhalluin placed the halftime score at 6-3.
Another extra-player chance was capitalized on by Lineback to lead off the third quarter. Mantellato's 10th goal of the tournament then pulled her team within one at 5:16. Dhalluin momentarily pushed the difference back to two, but Katherine O'Dea and the Bruins were able to answer once again. Lucy Haaland Ford's goal with seven seconds left made Stanford's lead 8-6 with eight minutes to go.
Just as she did in the third quarter, Lineback started off the fourth with a goal. That proved to be the end of scoring as Steele and Carpenter traded stops. UCLA took a timeout with 41 seconds remaining to set up the final offensive opportunity, but Taylor Smith's try could not find the net.
The Bruins next travel to Northern California for a meeting with No. 4 California Saturday, Feb. 21. Play from Spieker Aquatics Complex, in what also represents the teams' MPSF opener, begins at 1 p.m. PT.
No. 2 UCLA vs. No. 1 Stanford
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| No. 2 UCLA | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
| No. 1 Stanford | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 8 |
6x5: UCLA โ 4/16, USC โ 3/8
Penalties: UCLA - 0/1, Stanford โ 1/1
UCLA Goals: Emma Lineback 2, Bia Mantellato 2, Carly McMurray, Katherine O'Dea, Anna Pearson
UCLA Saves: Lauren Steele 13
Stanford Goals: Jenna Flynn 3, Juliette Dhalluin 2, Serena Browne, Lucy Haaland-Ford, Claire Minton
Stanford Saves: Christine Carpenter 8
Players Mentioned
ATK
/ Women's Water Polo
CTR
/ Women's Water Polo
ATK
/ Women's Water Polo
ATK
/ Women's Water Polo
UTL
/ Women's Water Polo
ATK
/ Women's Water Polo
GK
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