LA JOLLA, Calif. – LMU women's water polo secured a fourth-consecutive win on Friday night to move to 11-2 on the season, the team's best start since 2010. The #11/#T-8 Lions never trailed to #14/#13 UC San Diego, winning 12-11, at Canyonview Aquatics Center.
 
Anna Tarantino began play with an opening-minute goal. After the Tritons tied the score at 1-all, Ruth Arino Ruiz and Carolina Magano scored goals to increase the lead to 3-1. UCSD cut into their deficit with a goal, but Yanah Gerber answered on LMU's next possession. The home team closed the period with one more score to bring it to a 4-3 game after one quarter.
 
Two and a half minutes into the second quarter, Noa Sasover converted a powerplay goal to bring score to 5-3. The Tritons scored one back to briefly cut their deficit to one before Lior Ben David scored on the following LMU possession. UC San Diego did rattle off two goals in a row to tie the score with two minutes remaining in the half. Arino Ruiz brought it to herself to score twice over the final 1:35 of the half to give LMU an 8-6 halftime lead.
 
UCSD cut it back to a one-goal game on their opening possession of the third quarter. That was the lone goal of the period for the home side, as Skye Nankervis and Tarantino scored down the stretch to make it a 10-7 game entering the final eight minutes.
 
The Tritons scored twice over the first two minutes, including a penalty goal, to pull back within one with the clock showing 6:23. Sasover scored at full strength to bring the score to 11-9 on LMU's next possession before UCSD answered the next time they went on the attack. Arino Ruiz scored with 1:40 remaining to give the Lions the final cushion they needed with her fourth goal and eighth point of the game. UC San Diego scored a final goal with nine ticks remaining before LMU closed out the game with time expiring.
 
LMU used two goalies in the win. Inbar Geva started the game and made eight saves in the first half. Madison Davis preserved the win and added a pair of saves.
 
In addition to Arino Ruiz's four goals, four assists, and eight points, the Spaniard added two steals and drew three exclusions.
 
The Lions return home on Sunday for a pair of games at Burns Aquatics Center. Both games will be free to enter for fans and each game will also be available on ESPN+.
 
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