SANTA CLARA – Junior Katie Kepner scored the game-winner in sudden victory overtime to propel No. 15 UC Santa Barbara past No. 18 Santa Clara, 6-5, at the Broncos’ Sullivan Aquatics Center on Thursday afternoon.
With the win, UCSB improves to 3-0 on the young season while Santa Clara starts its season at 0-1.
After two scoreless three-minute overtime periods, Kepner was able to break the stalemate in sudden victory overtime, scoring off a pass from senior Lizzie Rouleau to give the Gauchos a 6-5 victory.
The two teams were tied through the first half of play at two apiece before the Gauchos took a 3-2 lead in the third quarter. The Broncos were able to tie the game back up in the fourth frame at five-all.
Freshman Shelby Haroldson led the Gauchos with two goals in the win while Christie Clark, Rouleau and Jillian Waldron each added one during regulation play.
Freshman goalkeeper Ruth Milne tallied an early career-high 11 saves in the victory.
The Gauchos will continue action in the Bay Area on Friday and Saturday as they participate in the Northern California Invitational being hosted by Cal. UCSB will face No. 3 Hawai’i and No. 4 Cal on Friday evening at the Golden Bears’ Spieker Aquatics Complex.
UCSB 6, Santa Clara 5
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT1 | OT2 | SV | Final | |||||||||||||||||
| Santa Clara | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | ||||||||||||||||
| UCSB | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
UCSB Goals: Shelby Haroldson 2, Christie Clark 1, Lizzie Rouleau 1, Katie Kepner 1, Jillian Waldron 1
UCSB Saves: Ruth Milne 11
