#3 UCLA Women’s Water Polo Visits #1 Stanford Cardinal

While the top-ranked UCLA baseball team is up north facing Stanford this weekend, they aren’t the only Bruin team visiting the Cardinal today. The #3 UCLA women’s water polo team will be taking on #1 Stanford this afternoon in a battle for first place in the MPSF.

Last Time Out

Last Friday, the Bruins hosted the Pacific Tigers and UCLA won 10-7. The Bruins lit up the scoreboard with seven first half goals while holding Pacific to just two in the half.

The Tigers actually got on the board first with 6:!3 to go in the first quarter, but, 22 seconds later, Maddie Musselman scored to tie it up. Bronte Halligan put the Bruins up for good with 1:32 left and Musselman netted her second with just 41 seconds to go in the quarter. Then, with 13 seconds left, she completed her first quarter hat trick and UCLA led 4-1 after one.

Brooke Maxson added the Bruins’ fifth straight goal just 43 seconds into the second quarter before Pacific finally responded to the UCLA barrage. The final two goals of the first half both came on power plays. First, Sarah Sheldon made it 6-2 with 5:15 left in the half. Then, Ava Johnson got one into the net with 56 seconds left in the half, giving UCLA a 7-2 lead at the break.

The first goal of the second half was scored by Ava Johnson for UCLA about two minutes into the second half while the Tigers went on to score a pair of goals to close the Bruins’ lead to 8-4 after three.

Sheldon scored the first goal of the fourth quarter to put the Bruins up, 9-4. After Pacific cut the lead to 9-5, Lizette Rozeboom recorded UCLA’s tenth goal of the game with 3:49 left. While Pacific added two more goals in the final 2¹⁄₂ minues, it was too little, too late and the Bruins had a 10-7 win.

#1 Stanford Cardinal

Like the Bruins, Stanford remains undefeated in MPSF play. But, considering that the Cardinal beat Southern Cal last week and UCLA hasn’t played the Trojans yet, Stanford seems to deserve their higher ranking over the Bruins.

When you consider that today’s game will be played at Stanford, it would appear that the Bruins will have their handsful with a very tough game this afternoon. As much as it pains me to say this, I think Stanford probably wins this one.

This is your UCLA Bruins vs. Stanford women’s water polo open thread.


Go Bruins!!!