UCLA Women’s Water Polo Loses MPSF Semifinal, 9-4; Faces UC Berkeley For 3rd

In yesterday’s first semifinal game of the MPSF Women’s Water Polo Tournament, the UCLA women’s water polo team fell to Southern Cal, 9-4. As a result, the Bruins will face the UC Berkeley Golden Bears this afternoon in the third place game.

Last Time Out

The Bruins were never really in a position to win yesterday’s game. They fell behind with 3:14 left in the first quarter and never recovered. That goal by Southern Cal was the only goal by either team in the first quarter.

UCLA did manage to tie the game up with 4:46 left in the second when Bella Baia scored, but Southern Cal took the lead back just 19 seconds later when Kelsey McIntosh made it 2-1, Trojans.

Southern Cal scored their third goal with 3:05 left in the first half. Just under a minute later, Lizette Rozeboom cut the Trojans’ lead in half when she made it 3-2, but the Trojans scored with just 20 seconds left in the half and had a 4-2 lead at the break.

Most of the third quarter was scoreless. It wasn’t until there was just 44 seconds left in the third that either team scored. Unfortunately, it was another goal by Southern Cal. UCLA was able to get that one back with just seven seconds to go on a goal by Bronte Halligan and it was 5-3 with one quarter to go.

But the fourth quarter was owned by Southern Cal. The Trojans scored first, making it 6-3, but Maddie Musselman kept the Bruins within striking distance when she scored with 5:39 left. That ended up being UCLA’s last goal of the game while Southern Cal went on to score three more goals before the game was over as the Bruins lost this one, 9-4, setting up today’s third place game.

UC Berkeley Golden Bears

The Bruins have already played UC Berkeley twice this season. The Golden Bears won the first meeting, 7-6 in overtime, at the Barbara Kalbus Invitational at UC Irvine while the Bruins took the game, 9-7, when the teams met the following week in Westwood.

Since that last meeting, the Golden Bears have won six and lost four while the Bruins have won five and lost three.

So, today’s game looks like it will be a battle. Hopefully, it’s one that UCLA can come out on top of.

This is your UCLA Bruins vs. UC Berkeley Golden Bears MPSF Women’s Water Polo Third Place Game open thread.


Go Bruins!