HONOLULU, Hawaii – #10 LMU women's water polo split two games on Saturday in the second day of the Rainbow Invitational, after barely dropping a classic against #12 Arizona State in six periods and then defeating Biola, 18-8.
 
Game 1: #12 Arizona State 12, #10 LMU 11 (Final/OT)
 
Ruth Arino Ruiz scored two goals to start the action on Saturday and give LMU a 2-0 lead. After ASU scored their first of the day, Noa Sasover gave the Lions another two-goal lead after converting on an exclusion. The Sun Devils converted their second penalty of the game to bring themselves within one, 3-2, in the first quarter.
 
After Arizona State tied the game in the opening minute of the second quarter, Sophie Kadifa gave LMU their lead back with an even-strengthed goal. ASU responded with the next two goals to take a 5-4 lead into halftime.
 
Yanah Gerber and Ruth Arino Ruiz flipped the Lions back on top with a pair of goals in the first minute and 31 seconds of the second half. ASU then retook their lead with the next two scores. Gerber added her second of the period to push LMU ahead 7-6 with 4:51 on the clock, before the Sun Devils closed out the period with the final two goals to push back on top by one entering the fourth quarter.
 
ASU jumped ahead by two with the opening goal of the final period of regulation. Arino Ruiz got one back on the advantage less than a minute later. After Arizona State took a 10-8 lead, Carolina Magano cut the deficit in half. The Sun Devils pushed ahead by two goals with 2:31 showing on the fourth quarter clock, but the Lions would not back down. Gerber scored her third of the game with less than two minutes to play in regulation and Arino Ruiz converted a penalty to equalize at 1:23. The defenses for both teams did not allow a goal for the final stretch to force overtime.
 
Neither team capitalized in the fifth period, setting up a sixth period for the game. ASU scored a go-ahead goal with 1:56 to play that turned into the game winner as that stood as the only score of the extra time. 
 
Alyssa Barnuevo made seven saves over 38 minutes in the cage for the Lions.
 
Game 2: #10 LMU 18, Biola 8
 
LMU never trailed against Biola as LMU pushed ahead with the game's first four goals. Sophie Kadifa, Anna Tarantino, and Taylor Enright all scored before Biola could get on the board and the lead extended to 7-1 after one with additional goals by Ruth Arino Ruiz and a pair by Noa Sasover.
 
Cianne Benjamin and Lily Larson added to the lead with back-to-back goals in the second quarter. Tessa Matson made it a 10-2 lead with a penalty shot goal. The Lions took an 11-3 lead into the half with a final-minute goal from Athena Ayers.
 
After Biola opened the third quarter with a goal, Carla Rivera went back-to-back to extend the lead to 13-5. The game took a 13-6 turn heading into the fourth.
 
After the Eagles cut it to 13-7, Sydney Chapman doubled LMU's lead with a 14-7 advantage. Biola would add only one more before Dunara Senadheera, Ayers, London Boyd, and Katherine Wastila closed the game with four unanswered goals.

Talia Herbermann earned the win with four saves over her 32 minutes in the cage.
 
Up Next:
 
LMU will play in the UC San Diego Triton Invitational over the three days next weekend.
 
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