The No. 14 UCSB women’s water polo team (16-8) played a pair of games through heavy rain on Sunday and came out victorious in both as the Gauchos defeated No. 20 Iona, 11-9, before handing Cal State San Bernardino a 16-8 loss in the following contest at Campus Pool. UCSB has won its last four straight, marking its longest win streak of the season.
Kathryn Nelson opened the day with a goal less than a minute into the contest with Iona. Maggie Wood tied the game with the first of her four goals with 5:46 to go in the first quarter, but UCSB rattled off three unanswered goals – another from Nelson and a pair from Molly Hafferkamp – to lead 4-1 just 49 seconds into the second quarter.
The Gaels were able to break up the Gaucho scoring streak with a pair of goals from Amy Olsen and Alyssa Turza on consecutive possessions. Leading by just one, UCSB had a chance to stretch its lead to two when the Gauchos drew a five-meter penalty. The skip shot landed short though, and the score remained 4-3 until Rachel Nelson tallied the first of her two goals with 2:35 to go in the half.
With 1:05 left on the clock in the second, Iona drew a six-on-five and Wood was able to score on the power play. She notched her third goal of the game as time ran out in the half, tying the game at five-all.
The Gaels took their first lead of the game 25 seconds into the third quarter with a goal from Cecilia Leonard. The Gaucho seniors quickly took over as Kathryn Nelson and Claire Buchanan each tallied a pair of goals to lead UCSB on a 4-1 run to regain the lead at 9-7 heading into the final quarter.
The Nelson sisters tallied consecutive goals to open the fourth and put UCSB up 11-7, marking its biggest lead of the game. Turza and Wood each scored for the Gaels in the waning minutes of the period, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the deficit as UCSB captured the 11-9 win.
Kathryn Nelson’s five goals in the win marked a career-high for the senior. In the goal, Ruth Milne tallied 12 saves.
When the Gauchos began their second game of the day against Cal State San Bernardino, the rain had let up a tad. Unfortunately for the Coyotes, the Gaucho offense hadn’t.
Ashley deJonckheere gave San Bernardino the early lead just 1:13 into the game. It would be the team’s only lead of the game. Buchanan, Hafferkamp and Kathryn Nelson scored consecutive goals to give UCSB a 3-1 advantage at the quarter break. Christie Clark’s five-meter penalty goal and a six-on-five goal from the post by Buchanan stretched the Gaucho lead to 5-1.
The Coyotes cut the Gaucho lead back three goals heading into the second half, but the third quarter saw UCSB go on a 5-1 run, pushing its advantage to seven goals. San Bernardino faced a major blow in the fourth when Shelle Kocher received her third ejection of the game. Kocher was the fourth Coyote – on a 10-woman roster – to foul out of the game, which left CSUSB playing one down for the final six minutes. UCSB finished the game ahead, 16-8.
Kristin Kulakowski led the team with four goals in the win, including three in the fourth quarter. In goal, Milne had six saves and Chelsea Carrillo posted seven in the second half.
UCSB will be back in action on Tuesday, March 29 when the Gauchos host Brown at Campus Pool at 4 p.m.
UCSB 11, Iona 9
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – Final
Iona 1 – 4 – 2 – 2 – 9
UCSB 3 – 2 – 4 – 2 – 11
Iona Goals: Maggie Wood 4, Cecilia Leonard 2, Alyssa Turza 2, Amy Olsen.
Iona Saves: Kathleen Link 9.
UCSB Goals: Kathryn Nelson 5, Claire Buchanan 2, Rachel Nelson 2, Molly Hafferkamp 2.
UCSB Saves: Ruth Milne 12.
UCSB 16, Cal State San Bernardino 8
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – Final
CSUSB 1 – 3 – 1 – 3 – 8
UCSB 3 – 4 – 5 – 4 – 16
CSUSB Goals: Ashley deJonckheere 3, Jennifer Goetz 2, Emily Hove, Shelle Kocher, Misty Vu.
CSUSB Saves: Bryanna Burns 10.
UCSB Goals: Kristin Kulakowski 4, Claire Buchanan 2, Kathryn Nelson 2, Christie Clark 2, Justine Ramos, Elle Quane, Maddy Smith, Bryce Winton, Rachel Nelson, Molly Hafferkamp.
UCSB Saves: Ruth Milne 6, Chelsea Carrillo 7.
