LOS ANGELES – The #16 LMU women's water polo team had a tough pair of opponents in Saturday's UCLA Mini Tournament. The Lions (3-3) opened the day against #14 Long Beach State and closed out the tournament against the #1 team in the country, USC.
 
Game 1: #14 Long Beach State 10, #16 LMU 8
 
LMU trailed from the start, going down 3-0 before Alena Sanchez put the Lions on the board in the first quarter.
 
The Lions fought back in the second quarter to tie the score up at 5-all with 38 seconds remaining in the half. Melyssa Moore, Alexandra Akritidou, Yanah Gerber, and Kelsey Snelgar all scored in the comeback. The Beach did convert a powerplay goal with six seconds remaining to take a one-goal advantage into intermission.
 
After LBSU built their lead up to 8-5, Abbey Grosse scored LMU's lone goal of the third period.
 
Sanchez cut it to a one-goal game in the opening minute of the fourth, but LMU couldn't stop Long Beach State from scoring the next two. Moore added a final goal at the 1:07 mark, before the game went final.
 
Elizabeth Bradley made nine saves in the cage for the Lions.
 
Game 2: #1 USC 16, LMU 3
 
The top-ranked Trojans pushed scored the first two goals of the game, but Yanah Gerber cut the deficit in half with her goal at the 2:50 mark of the first. USC took a 4-1 lead after a quarter.
 
In the second quarter, with USC ahead 6-1, Isabella Barajas scored her first goal of the day with 3:39 to play before halftime. USC added one more to make it an 8-2 game at the half.
 
USC added three goals in the third and five in the fourth to build their lead. Alena Sanchez scored LMU's final goal with 4:49 to play.
 
All three of LMU's goalkeepers played with Elizabeth Bradley and Madison Davis each recording four saves and Tara DeBrander making three in her one period of action.

Up Next:
 
The Lions next travel south, to compete in UCSD's Triton Invitational on Feb. 8-9 in La Jolla.