IRVINE, Calif. – #14 LMU women's water polo opened the 2025 Barbara Kalbus Invitational on Friday night against tournament hosts #6 UC Irvine. The Anteaters jumped out to an early lead, but thanks to a valiant effort in the fourth quarter, the Lions nearly came back before losing by just one, 15-14.
 
UC Irvine scored the game's first two goals before Sophia DeMattia put LMU on the board. The Anteaters follwered with three more to take a 5-1 lead with just over two minutes to play in the first period. Anna Tarantino scored at even strength to end that run, but UCI took a 7-2 lead after the opening eight minutes.
 
Carolina Magano opened the second quarter with a powerplay goal. After UC Irvine scored the next two, the two sides traded off scoring the remaining goals in the period as Magano added one more and Ruth Arino Ruiz scored twice, including a penalty shot with no time remaining before halftime.
 
Arino Ruiz scored on LMU's opening possession of the third quarter to bring the score to 11-7. After the Anteaters scored three in a row, Yanah Gerber scored from center with just over a minute to play in period, setting up a 14-8 game entering the last eight minutes.
 
LMU scored the first four goals of the fourth to make it a two goal game with 2:38 to play. Arino Ruiz started the scoring, followed by Tarantino, Arino Ruiz again, and another goal by Magano. After UCI converted a powerplay, Magano and DeMattia scored less than a minute apart from one another to pull the Lions within one for the first time since the opening goal. The Lions earned a final possession after forcing a dumped ball. Following a timeout, LMU's chance to tie missed the cage and the game ended.
 
Arino Ruiz scored five goals and Magano scored four goals in the game.
 
Alyssa Barnuevo made six saves in her 32 minutes in the cage.
 
With the result, LMU will pay at 12:00 noon on Saturday against Pomona-Pitzer at Corona del Mar High School's pool. Their tournament will continue with a second game Saturday afternoon.
 
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