SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The 15th-ranked UC San Diego women's water polo team won two games against higher ranked opponents, with each game coming down to the wire on Sunday at the UC Santa Barbara Tournament. The Tritons took down No. 14 UC Davis 5-4 in overtime as Flynn LaRochelle scored with 1:49 seconds remaining in the first overtime. UCSD shutout the Aggies for the remainder of the extra period. UCSD fell behind No. 12 Michigan 5-1 in the first half before outscoring Michigan 4-1 in the third and 2-0 in the fourth for the 7-6 win. Britta Nordstrom had the winning goal for UCSD with 1:49 left in regulation. The wins improve the Tritons to 9-6 with five of the victories coming against ranked opponents.
Against the Aggies, UCSD trailed 3-1 at halftime, with Nicole Hermann scoring the Tritons' lone goal. Nordstrom scored early in the third quarter at 5:01 to cut the deficit down to one goal and Hermann's second goal of the game would tie it at 3-3 with 1:19 left. The teams would enter the fourth quarter at the same score. Judy Emaus put UCSD in front with a strike at the 6:13 mark, but the Aggies matched the goal with 5:37 left in regulation. The teams would stay knotted at 4-4 until LaRochelle scored with 1:49 left before the teams would change sides in overtime. UCSD continued its stingy defense the rest of the way, closing the door on the Aggies and winning 5-4.
In the game against Michigan, Hermann scored to tie the game at 1-1 in the first quarter with 2:32 left. Michigan would then score the next four goals, leading 5-1 at halftime. UCSD got rolling in the third as Natalie Hockett scored with 6:45 in the quarter. Just :40 later, Michelle Perkins netted a goal to bring the Tritons within 5-3. After Michigan added a goal, Hockett would score at the 3:45 mark and Hermann scored with 3:01 in the third to bring UCSD within 6-5. That score would stand until Perkins tied the game with 2:20 left in the fourth. The Tritons would not let up as Nordstrom threw her score through with 1:49 left in the game and the 7-6 UCSD lead and eventual win.
UCSD is back in action on Saturday, March 4 when it hosts Cal State San Bernardino at 10:00 a.m. and UCLA at 4:00 p.m. Both games will be held at Canyonview Pool.
