LA JOLLA, Calif. — Caroline Christl scored five goals to help propel the 14th-ranked UC San Diego women's water polo team to a 13-10 Big West victory against No. 11 UC Santa Barbara Saturday afternoon at Canyonview Aquatic Center.
The Tritons improved to 12-16 overall and 4-3 in the conference, while the Gauchos fell to 18-10 and 2-5.
With the Big West Championship coming up next week in Santa Barbara, UC San Diego will serve as the fourth seed in the eight-team tournament.
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HOW IT HAPPENED
UC Santa Barbara scored the first goal of the game just 41 seconds into the opening quarter and that would be its only lead of the day. UC San Diego followed by scoring four consecutive goals and led the rest of the way. Two of those goals came on the power play and another came on a five-meter penalty shot by
Lucia Doak.
The Tritons led by at least two goals up until a Gaucho score with 4:55 left in the fourth quarter made it 11-10 UC San Diego. From that point, the Tritons struck for two more goals and kept UCSB off the board until the final horn sounded.
Christl had two goals in the first half and added another three in the second half.
Courtney Okumura and
Sofia Munatones each scored twice. The Munatones sisters combined for seven points as Sofia had the two goals plus two assists and Sydney finished with a goal and a pair of assists. Doak amassed three points on her penalty shot goal and two assists, while Okumura had an assist to also total three points.
Annika Arroyo and
Kendall Thomas both scored single goals.
Triton goalie
Lexi Stahl made six saves in the victory. She also had two steals, giving her 43 on the season, which ranks third among all conference players.
UC Santa Barbara got three goals apiece from Annie Kuester and Leight Lyter. Imani Clemons scored twice and Sarah Owens had a goal and three assists. Madison Walker had three saves and four steals in net.
Total shots were even at 27-27. UC San Diego converted on five of seven power play opportunities, while UC Santa Barbara was three for nine.
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CAROLINE CHRISTL INTERVIEW
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TRITON TIDBITS
• It was the second time this season that
Caroline Christl scored five goals in a game (April 7 at UC Davis).
• Christl's scoring streak now stands at 14 games with multiple goals in 10 of those.
• Christl has 13 goals over her last three games.
•
Courtney Okumura ranks third in the Big West with 47 assists.
• UC San Diego's current three-game win streak ties its longest of the season.
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UP NEXT
UC San Diego hosts No. 24 San Diego State on Sunday, April 23 at noon in the annual Harper Cup.
The final home game of the season will also be Senior Day and team captain
Kayla Peacock,
Carson Rampelberg, and
Madison Solares will be celebrated prior to the opening sprint.
The first 250 fans into Sunday's game will get a free Triton rubber duck. In addition, the team will be signing autographs following the game.
Tickets are available through the
Triton Box Office.
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About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program began a new era in 2020 as a member of The Big West in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have earned prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in Divisions I and II.
