LA JOLLA, Calif. – The 19th-ranked UC San Diego women's water polo team finished sixth at the 2016 Triton Invitational at Canyonview Aquatic Center on Saturday, marking their best finish since 2011 when they placed sixth.
The Tritons began the day with a thriller against No. 11 UC Santa Barbara as junior center Lauren Boyer scored the winning goal in sudden death for a 12-11 victory. UCSD then had a hard fought battle against No. 9 UC Santa Irvine in which they limited UCI to just five scores in a 5-3 loss.
With the split, the Tritons move to 6-4 overall, while the Gauchos drop to 7-6 and the Anteaters move to 6-4.
GAME ONE
Down two scores with less than a minute left in regulation, UCSD buried two shots to send the game into overtime. After remaining tied through both periods of overtime, Boyer continued her stellar performance by recording the game winner. Boyer led both teams and tied her career-high with five goals while Julia Kirkland and Alexis Wieseler added two scores apiece. Courtney Miller finished the match with double-digit saves, stopping 11 shots in total.
UCSD's defense shined in the opening period as they held UCSB to just one goal, while forcing the Gauchos shot clock to expire on back-to-back possessions. After the Gauchos opened the match with a score, the Tritons got on the board when Emma Sasson found the back of the cage from far out to tie it up at 1-1.
UCSD started the second frame giving up back-to-back goals, but pulled ahead with two goals from Boyer and one from Wieseler. The Gauchos tried to tie things up before the half with a score from Samantha Murphy, but Julia Kirkland dismissed their hope as she scored on a skip shot to put the Tritons up 5-4 at the half.
The Tritons offense was absent in the third frame as the Gauchos held them scoreless while adding four goals, but UCSD battled back.
Kirkland led the charge, scoring early in the fourth period after UCSD went more than 12 minutes without a goal. Boyer then completed the hat trick with another deep score for the Tritons. Still holding the lead, UCSB recorded their lone goal of the period to put them up two points.
With the game coming down to the wire, Wieseler put the Tritons within one with 46 seconds left. Junior attacker Connie Wu followed up with a perfectly executed lob shot over the head of UCSB goalie Mackenzie Brokaw to square off the match at nine and send it into overtime.
The Tritons and Gauchos went goal for goal in overtime as each team scored a goal in each period of overtime. Chanel Schilling scored on a quick backhand goal in the first period of overtime and Boyer tallied a score in the second frame.
UCSD's defense held strong despite the added pressure of sudden death and forced a UCSB turnover after they took the opening sprint. Boyer then gave the Trtitons the win by netting a backhand shot after fighting off two defenders.
GAME TWO
On their fifth match against a nationally ranked opponent in the last 48 hours, UCSD's defense held strong giving up just five goals to the ninth-ranked team.
Laurel Kistler netted two goals in the first quarter to give the Tritons a 2-1 advantage.
UCSD saw their lead slip after suffering a scoreless second and third period while UCI recorded two goals in each frame.
The Tritons kept fighting in the fourth, blanking the Anteaters and tacking on one more goal courtesy of Wieseler.
UCSD will have a two week break before heading north for the UCI Invitational on Feb 27-Feb. 28.
GAME ONE BOX SCORE
UCSD 1 4 0 4 1 1 1 - 12
UCSB 1 3 4 1 1 1 0 - 11
Goals
UCSD: Lauren Boyer 5, Julia Kirkland 2, Alexis Wieseler 2, Connie Wu 1, Emma Sasson 1, Chanel Schilling 1
UCSB: Bryn Hudson 4, Taylor Shore 2, Brenna Thomas 1, Lauren Martin 1, Miranda Schrader 1, Sophie Trabucco 1,Samantha Murphy 1
Saves
UCSD: Courtney Miller 11
UCSB: Mackenzie Brokaw 12
GAME TWO BOX SCORE
UCSD 2 0 0 1 - 3
UCI 1 2 2 0 - 5
Goals
UCSD: Laurel Kistler 2, Alexis Wieseler 1
UCI: Allie Loomis 2, Destene Albers 1, Mary Brooks 1, N. Seidemann 1
Saves
UCSD: Courtney Miller 12
UCI: Annika Nelson 11
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