UCLA Women’s Water Polo Faces Southern Cal in MPSF Semifinals

Yesterday, the UCLA Bruins used six first quarter goals to blow past the Arizona State Sun Devils, 14-4, in the MPSF Quarterfinals and advance to today’s semifinals against Southern Cal.

So far this season, UCLA has faced Southern Cal twice and lost both times. In the first game, the teams met in the championship game of the Triton Invitational. Southern Cal won that game, 6-4. The second game was last Saturday on the road where the Trojans won easily, 11-5.

That doesn’t bode well for the Bruins, but at least today’s game is in a neutral pool. Hopefully, Adam Wright has figured out what went wrong last weekend and has it fixed for today’s game.

He had the Bruins firing on all cylinders yesterday.

Myrna Simmons got UCLA on the scoreboard right away against the Sun Devils and Lexi Liebowitz made it 2-0 on the Bruins’ second possession. Liebowitz gave the Bruins a three-goal lead with her second of the day with 5 minutes left in the quarter. Maddie Musselman and Bronte Halligan gave UCLA a 5-0 lead before the Sun Devils finally scored a pair of goals. Musselman added a sixth Bruin goal with just four seconds left in the period for her second of the game.

The Bruins would add two insurance goals in the second quarter from Devin Grab and Halligan. Lizette Rozeboom’s first goal of the day and Musselman’s third gave UCLA a six-goal lead after three quarters.

UCLA would add four fourth quarter goals including Rozeboom’s 40th of the season as well as goals from Grace Reego, Roxy Wheaton and Kelsey Blacker en route to a 14-4 final score.

The Bruins will look to continue scoring today when they face the Trojans for the second time in a week.

This is your MPSF Women’s Water Polo Tournament Semifinals Open Thread.


Go Bruins!!!