LA JOLLA, Calif. - The 15th-ranked UC San Diego women's water polo team lost a 13-12 sudden death overtime thriller to UC Santa Barbara in front of 309 fans at Canyonview Pool on Saturday afternoon. UCSD's Sarah Bajorek and Michelle Perkins scored three apiece. UCSD trailed after the first quarter but scored four times in the second to lead 5-4 at the break. UCSD scored four more times in the third quarter to lead 9-7 after three. UCSB tied it at the end of regulation and both teams scored in the first overtime. UCSB's Sarah Kovach scored the winner in sudden-death with 2:41 left to play.
UCSB scored two early goals, both by Jean Clark to lead 2-0 in the first. UCSD's Natalie Hockett put the Tritons on the board with :17 left as UCSD trailed 2-1 after one.
WIth UCSB ahead 3-1, UCSD goals by Flynn LaRochelle (6:11), Sarah Bajorek (3:17), Miho Umezawa (2:30) and Kirsten Frazer (:37) put UCSD ahead 5-3. The Gauchos scored one goal before the end of the half and trailed 5-4 at the intermission.
In the third, the game was tied at 5-5, 6-6 and 7-7, before UCSD's Perkins scored at (:13) and Nicole Hermann scored at :02 to put UCSD ahead 9-7 through three.
UCSB scored right out of the gate to make it 8-9. Judy Emaus scored at the 5:52 mark to put UCSD back up 10-8. UCSB's Lindsay Knott scored to make it 10-9 with 5:03 left. Bajorek scored again to put UCSD ahead 11-9 with 4:38 left. UCSB answered with a goal at 4:08 to come within 11-10 at 4:08. The tying goal was scored by UCSB's Alaina Whitaker with 1:51 left as neither team scored for the remainder of regulation 11-11.
In the first three minutes of overtime UCSB scored first at 1:04 as Kovach put UCSB ahead 12-11. In the second three minute session, Perkins scored at the 1:08 mark to tie it at 12-12.
In sudden death overtime, UCSB got the possesion off the sprint and called timeout to set up a play. Kovach then scored her sixth goal of the game and gave UCSB the victory.
UCSD is back in action on Thursday, April 20 against San Diego State at 7:00 p.m. in Canyonview Pool. It will be the last regular season home game for Triton seniors Kaitlin Foe, Flynn LaRochelle, Kirsten Frazer and Michelle Perkins.
