It was another perfect weekend for women’s water polo when No. 16 UC Santa Barbara traveled down south for the UCSD Triton Invitational.
UCSB (7-6) started off strong this morning, defeating host No. 18 UC San Diego 9-5, but suffered a tough loss against No. 5 Arizona State 7-5.
The Gauchos came out fighting when they played the Tritons in their first match of the day. The Tritons took the first goal of the game, but sophomore Molly Hafferkamp responded with the first Gaucho goal of the first quarter. UCSD put one past the goalie with a minute and a half left, and the quarter ended with a score of 2-1.
UCSB posted three goals in the second quarter. The Gauchos kept the Tritons scoreless, and the goals for the Gauchos came from Hafferkamp, freshman Bernadette Bevins and junior Kacey Creek. The Gauchos came out of the half leading 4-2.
The Tritons came within one goal less than 30 seconds into the third quarter, but UCSB answered with a pair of goals by Creek and freshman Lauren Martin to go back up by three. They ended the quarter leading 6-5.
In the last quarter of the game, the Tritons went scoreless again against the Gauchos and it was all UCSB goals after that. Bevins, Shelby Haroldson and Rachel Nelson lead the team in goals, and the Gauchos accumulated the win, 9-5.
UCSB faced ASU for the second time this season later in the afternoon, and after hard playing they suffered a loss to the Sun Devils. UCSB’s Hafferkamp scored the first goal of the game, but ASU responded with a goal and the score was tied coming out of the first quarter, 1-1.
Junior Shelby Haroldson kicked off the second quarter with the first goal, but ASU retaliated shortly by sinking a goal into the Gaucho net. Junior Bryce Winton responded with a goal two minutes left in the game, leaving the half with the Gauchos trailing close behind at 3-2.
ASU came alive in the third quarter as the Gauchos went scoreless. The Sun Devils sunk four into the Gaucho net, and took a dominant lead at 7-3 going into the fourth quarter.
The Sun Devils went scoreless in the fourth, but UCSB obtained goals from Nelson and Katie Zakula. With the two goals in the fourth, the Gauchos failed to close the gap and suffered a tough loss to ASU 7-5. The Sun Devils remain undefeated this season.
The Gauchos will be back in action tomorrow at the Triton Invitational when they once again face Indiana University at 8:30 am at Triton Pool.
