The No. 13 UCSB women’s water polo team rallied early from a four-goal deficit only to see No. 11 UC Davis pull away for a 12-7 victory on Saturday at Campus Pool. It was just the second loss for the Gauchos at home this season.
Gillian Morgan led the Gauchos with two goals while five other players each scored once. Davis’ Dana Nelson led the Aggies by scoring three times and Lindsay Kiyama added a pair of scores.
UCSB falls to 12-7 overall. It was the inaugural Big West Conference game the Gauchos played in.
Davis jumped out to a 4-0 lead, with all four goals coming in the first quarter before Jillian Waldron got the Gauchos on the board with 7:08 remaining in the first half. Waldron’s goal led to a scoring run by the Gauchos, who eventually tied the game at 4-4 on goals from Morgan, Alisha Khan and Katie Kepner – all within a two and a half minute span.
However the Aggies scored once more with 2:41 to play in the half and never trailed
UC Davis scored four more goals to make it 9-4 before the Gauchos found the back of the net again, courtesy of Morgan, who scored with 2:36 left in the third quarter.
Morgan’s goals improved her scoring streak to 18 consecutive games and she needs just one more goal to tie the single-season scoring record set by Kelley Tiffany in 2001.
She will have a chance at that record as the Gauchos play their final home game of the season on Sunday at Campus Pool when they host Pacific at noon.
UC DAVIS 12, UCSB 7
1 2 3 4 Final
UC Davis 4 1 5 2 – 12
UCSB 0 4 2 1 – 7
UC Davis Goals: Dana Nelson 3, Lindsay Kiyama 2, Christina Miyabe, Sofia Patronas, Lisa Bender, Kaylee Miller, Ariel Feeney, Cari MacPhail.
UC Davis Goalie Saves: Casey Hines 8.
UCSB Goals: Gillian Morgan 2, Katie Kepner, Lizzie Rouleau, Alisha Khan, Kathryn Nelson, Jillian Waldron.
UCSB Goalie Saves: Chelsea Carrillo 5.
