May 15, 2010

FROM SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE
BY KEVIN GEMMELL, STAFF WRITER
PUBLISHED: SATURDAY, MAY 15, 2010 AT 12:04 A.M.

UCLA's vise grip over collegiate women's water polo has stretched for five seasons. Their grasp over Loyola Marymount extended even longer -- 11 years.

But Friday afternoon, the sixth-seeded Lions loosened that grip quarter-by-quarter before finally ripping it away with a 5-4 victory over the five-time defending national champs at the Aztec Aquaplex.

Loyola (28-4) will face USC in one of two semifinals today. The Lions become the lowest seed to advance to the semifinals in the NCAA era.

Their victory is the school's first over UCLA, which entered the tournament seeded third but ranked first nationally. It's also LMU's first win over a No. 1 team.

"To try and describe that game in a couple of minutes wouldn't do it any justice," LMU coach Kyle Witt said. "Anybody who was here today saw a very evenly matched game between two great teams and we were fortunate to come out on top."

Redshirt freshman goalie Kristine Cato, a transfer from USC playing in her first NCAA tournament game, turned in a superb, 11-save performance.

NCAA Women's Water Polo Tournament
Where: Aztec Aquaplex at SDSU
When: Through Sunday
Yesterday's scores: USC 20, Marist 5 Loyola Marymount 5, UCLA 4 Stanford 23, Pomona-Pitzer 3 Cal 12, Michigan 8
Online: For a photo gallery of yesterday's games, go to uniontrib.com/polo514

SCHEDULE
UCLA vs. Marist: 12:30 p.m.
Pomona-Pitzer vs. Michigan: 2:15 p.m.
Stanford vs. Cal: 4 p.m.
Loyola Marymount vs. USC: 5:45 p.m.

FOR THE COMPLETE STORY, VISIT THE UNION-TRIBUNE SPORTS SECTION.