SAN DIEGO – UC San Diego women's water polo defeated San Diego State 12-10 Sunday to retain the Harper Cup for the eighth-consecutive season.

It was the 22nd running of the cross-city rivalry, named after long-time UC San Diego coach Denny Harper. This season's contest was hosted by SDSU at the Aztec Aquaplex.

With the victory in their final regular season game, the 11th-ranked Tritons upped their record to 17-11.

The Aztecs, ranked 21st nationally, dropped to 15-14.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Kendall Thomas scored five goals for UC San Diego en route to being named the Most Valuable Player for the second-straight season. The junior also logged an assist, a drawn exclusion and a steal.

Sofia Munatones scored twice, while five other Tritons including Caroline Christl, Luia Doak, Abby Moll, Sydney Munatones, and Courtney Okumura, each notched single goals.

Lexi Stahl made seven saves in net for UC San Diego.

The Tritons scored early and often, netting nine of their 12 goals in the first half. San Diego State's lone quarter win came in the fourth as the Aztecs had a 2-1 edge.

Thomas, Sofia Munatones, Okumura, and Moll each had a goal in the opening stanza. Thomas netted two in the second quarter while Christl, Doak, and Sydney Munatones scored one to lift the Tritons to a 9-5 lead heading into halftime.

The game was tied three times at 1-1, 4-4, and 5-5. A Christl goal at the 5:00 minute mark of the second quarter gave UC San Diego a 6-5 lead and the Tritons were able to stay in front until the final horn.

UC San Diego out-shot SDSU 25-21.

Claudia Valdez recorded a hat trick for the Aztecs, while Kendall Houck and Shannon Murphy had two apiece. Goalie Tiaare Ahovelo finished with six saves.

WHAT HEAD COACH BRAD KREUTZKAMP HAD TO SAY
"I am so proud of these women. It was a tough game full of challenges. San Diego State is good and can be a real challenge, especially when the Harper Cup is involved. I was impressed with our ability to rebound and get the job done. We're heading into the conference championship on a high note."

TRITON TIDBITS
• Kendall Thomas was the 2023 Harper Cup MVP after netting the game-winning goal with three seconds remaining in regulation.
• Thomas has scored five goals in each of her last two games.
• It was the 14th multi-goal game for Thomas in 2024.
• Caroline Christl extended her scoring streak to 14 games.
• The last time that San Diego State won the Harper Cup was in 2015.

UP NEXT
UC San Diego will serve as the No. 4 seed in the upcoming Big West Championship, scheduled for April 26-28 at the Schaal Aquatics Center on the campus of UC Davis. The Tritons get things going on Friday, April 26, at noon in a first round game against fifth-seeded CSUN. UC San Diego downed the Matadors, 16-7, back on March 2 in La Jolla.

Here's a look at the first round games on Friday, April 26.
• 10 a.m.  | No. 1 seed Hawai'i vs. No. 8 seed Cal State Fullerton
• Noon | No. 4 seed UC San Diego vs. No. 5 seed CSUN
• 2:30 p.m. | No. 2 seed UC Irvine vs. No. 7 seed UC Davis
• 4:30 p.m. | No. 3 seed Long Beach State vs. No. 6 seed UC Santa Barbara

HARPER CUP HISTORY
Started in 2002, the Harper Cup is named after former UC San Diego water polo head coach Denny Harper, who played at San Diego State and received his undergraduate degree from the school in 1978. He established the Aztec women's water polo club team and went on to coach UC San Diego's women's team to five National Collegiate championships from 1985-99. He also served as head coach of the Tritons' men's water polo program for 42 seasons until retiring after the 2021 campaign.

• All-Time Series: San Diego State leads 13-9
• Last Meeting: 4/21/24, UC San Diego wins 12-10 in San Diego
• First Meeting: 4/19/02: San Diego State wins 8-7 in La Jolla
• Last San Diego State Win: 4/18/15, 6-3 in San Diego
• Current Streak: UC San Diego 8 wins
• At UC San Diego: San Diego State leads 6-5
• At San Diego State: San Diego State leads 7-4
• UC San Diego Goals Scored: 151
• San Diego State Goals Scored: 179

2024: UC San Diego 12, San Diego State 10
2023: San Diego State 9, UC San Diego 10
2022: UC San Diego 13, San Diego State 8
2021: San Diego State 7, UC San Diego 10
2020: Game canceled due to pandemic
2019: UC San Diego 9, San Diego State 5
2018: San Diego State 5, UC San Diego 6
2017: UC San Diego 10, San Diego State 6
2016: San Diego State 5, UC San Diego 6 (SD)
2015: UC San Diego 3, San Diego State 6
2014: San Diego State 5, UC San Diego 8
2013: UC San Diego 4, San Diego State 6
2012: San Diego State 10, UC San Diego 5
2011: UC San Diego 7, San Diego State 15
2010: San Diego State 11, UC San Diego 3
2009: UC San Diego 7, San Diego State 14
2008: San Diego State 6, UC San Diego 5
2007: UC San Diego 8, San Diego State 10
2006: San Diego State 6, UC San Diego 5
2005: UC San Diego 4, San Diego State 9
2004: San Diego State 9, UC San Diego 4
2003: UC San Diego 5, San Diego State 9
2002: San Diego State 8, UC San Diego 7
 
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.