LA JOLLA, Calif. – UC San Diego junior
Kendall Thomas scored five goals – including a spectacular game-tying tally with just nine seconds left to play – but No. 16 UC Davis spoiled the Tritons' senior night with a 17-16 overtime win Friday night at Canyonview Aquatic Center.
With the loss, the 11th-ranked Tritons (16-11, 4-3 Big West) will be the No. 4 seed in next week's Big West Championship held in Davis.
UC Davis (9-17, 1-5) picked up its first conference win of the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Sofia Munatones got the scoring started for UC San Diego just 35 seconds in, before the Aggies responded with three consecutive scores – including a pair from Grace Pelkey to go up 3-1. With her team trailing by a 4-2 score, Thomas netted three consecutive goals over a six-minute span as UC San Diego forged ahead. The Tritons' leading scorer,
Caroline Christl, scored twice in less than a minute as the home team held a slim 8-7 lead at halftime.
The third quarter was even, with each team netting three goals. The fourth quarter was a see-saw affair that featured three lead changes. After
Courtney Okumura tied things with 3:28 left, UC Davis went back in front on a Liberty Massman goal just 21 seconds later. The Aggies clung to a 14-13 lead until Thomas' remarkable goal tied the match with just nine ticks on the clock.
Grace Pelkey scored with 21 seconds to go in the first overtime to put the Aggies back on top.
Lucia Doak responded 33 seconds into the second extra session to tie the score once again. Pelkey sent the Aggies to the win as she found the back of the net with just two seconds left in the second OT.
QUOTABLE
"This was one of the toughest losses we've had in quite some time," said UC San Diego head coach
Brad Kreutzkamp. "Give all the credit in the world to Davis for never backing down and never quitting. That was a fantastic crowd and we're very disappointed to let them down. Our offensive game was clicking – as it has been for most of the year – but quite frankly I cannot put a finger on what happened to our defense. We're really looking forward to a great bounce back game on Sunday at San Diego State."
TRITON TIDBITS
- Prior to the game, the Tritons celebrated their graduating class of Annika Arroyo, Lauren Bellavia, Hannah Kawar, Grayson Mix, Olivia Seargeant, and Katie Ward.
- With five more goals on Friday, Caroline Christl leads UC San Diego with 60 goals so far this season.
- Christl set new career-highs in assists (3), points (8), shots (10) and matched career-highs in goals (5), steals (2), and field blocks (1) in the game.
- Junior goalie Lexi Stahl made five saves in the cage for the Tritons.
UP NEXT
UC San Diego wraps up its regular season on Sunday when the Tritons visit San Diego State for the annual Harper Cup showdown. Action is slated to get underway at 1 p.m. from the Aztec Aquaplex.
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.
