IRVINE, Calif. – Following two early season losses to Long Beach State, the LMU women's water polo team upended the Beach on Saturday for the first time this season. The 11-8 win by the Lions, set LMU up to play #7 California in the evening game, which resulted in a 12-6 Golden Bears win.
GAME 1: #16 LMU 11, #12 Long Beach State 12
The Lions set the tone early, scoring all three goals in the first quarter against LBSU.
Isabella Barajas scored the game's opening goal less than 40 seconds into the game. The Lions added a second at the 6:32 mark with
Alexandra Akritidou scoring.
Kelsey Snelgar made it a 3-0 game after one after scoring her first of a game-high four goals.
The two teams traded off the first four goals of the second half, with
Melyssa Moore and
Serena Zafiris providing an answer both times. Long Beach State scored the next two goals to cut it to a 5-4 game, but Snelgar scored with one second remaining in the half to make it a 6-4 game at intermission.
Snelgar picked up the second half where she left off, scoring with 4:51 and 3:02 on the clock in the third quarter.
Mei Vilanova,
Isabella Barajas, and Akritidou added to the five-goal third quarter, while keeping the Beach out of the cage, to lead 11-4.
LBSU scored the final four goals of the game, but the LMU lead was too large as the Lions earned the win.
Elizabeth Bradley made 10 saves in the win.
GAME 2: #7 California 12, #16 LMU 6
Cal took an early 2-0 lead, scoring twice in the opening eight minutes of play.
The Golden Bears added a third goal in the second period, before
Melyssa Moore put LMU on the board.
Yanah Gerber would add one later in the half, but LMU trailed 6-2 at the break.
After Cal scored the first two goals of the third quarter,
Alexandra Akritidou and
Isabella Barajas earned them back for the Lions, making it an 8-4 game after three.
Mei Vilanova scored a pair of goals in the fourth quarter, but the Lions were unable to upend the higher-ranked Bears.
Bradley added five saves in her second game of the day.
Up Next:
The UC Irvine Invitational concludes on Sunday with LMU taking on San Jose State in the 11
th-place game at 11:30 a.m. from Corona del Mar pool.
