Women's Water Polo Takes Down Michigan 17-8

Saturday, February 28

Los Angeles, Calif.

1:00 PM (PT)

UCLA

12-1

No. 12 Michigan

10-7

Michigan 2026

UCLA (W)

Katherine O'Dea

Photo by: Mac Brown

Women's Water Polo Takes Down Michigan 17-8

February 28, 2026 | Women's Water Polo

Box Score

LOS ANGELES – The second-ranked UCLA women's water polo secured its second victory in as many days Saturday, beating No. 12 Michigan 17-8 at Spieker Aquatics Center. The Bruins bested No. 8 Indiana by an 18-7 margin in MPSF play Friday.

Anna Pearson (career-high tying six) and Taylor Smith (four) combined for 10 goals to lead UCLA (12-1, 1-0 MPSF), which outscored the visitors 13-4 over the final three quarters. Bia Mantellato and Katherine O'Dea each scored twice. Lauren Steele totaled eight saves, while Joey Niz had five in relief. Emma Gustafsson and Emilia Mladjan posted two goals apiece to lead the Wolverines (10-7, 3-0 CWPA), who entered play on a 10-game winning streak. Sophia Bunnell logged 10 stops in the cage for Michigan.

The Wolverines jumped out to a 4-2 lead with 2:09 to go in the first quarter. O'Dea and Mantellato scored in the final minute, though, pulling the Bruins level. Smith and Pearson got their busy goal-scoring days started earlier in the frame.

Michigan went back on top in the opening moments of the second quarter, but it was all UCLA from there. Mantellato, Smith and O'Dea added to their tallies, with the first two coming on power plays, giving the Bruins a 7-5 lead at halftime.

The third quarter played out much like the second, with the Wolverines opening scoring before a barrage of UCLA conversions. Jenna Human got on the scoreboard first for the Bruns. Smith ensured her ninth hat trick of the campaign next. Pearson then extended the lead to 11-6 with the first two of her five second-half goals.

Pearson's fourth-quarter hat trick helped UCLA push its lead to a game-high 10 at 17-7 (1:21). Smith tacked on another before Tali Stryker and Elektra Urbatsch entered the scorebook. Niz, meanwhile, piled up all five of her saves over the final eight minutes.

The Bruins return to conference play Saturday, March 7, when No. 1 Stanford visits Spieker Aquatics Center. Action is set to begin at 1 p.m. PT. The Cardinal won the teams' first meeting by an 8-7 score in the Barbara Kalbus Invitational final (Feb. 15).

No. 2 UCLA vs. No. 12 Michigan

SCOREBOARD	1	2	3	4	FINAL
No. 12 Michigan	4	1	1	2	8
No. 2 UCLA	4	3	4	6	17

6x5: Michigan – 3/9, UCLA – 4/7
Penalties: Michigan – 2/2, UCLA – 0/0

Michigan Goals: Emma Gustafsson 2, Emilia Mladjan 2, Issy Jackson 1, Ari Karampetsou 1, Kaia Levenfield 1, Maddy Scarth 1
Michigan Saves: Sophia Bunnell 10

UCLA Goals: Anna Pearson 6, Taylor Smith 4, Bia Mantellato 2, Katherine O'Dea 2, Jenna Human 1, Tali Stryker 1, Elektra Urbatsch 1
UCLA Saves: Lauren Steele 8, Joey Niz 5