IRVINE, Calif. - The seventh-ranked UC Irvine women's water polo team closed out the Barbara Kalbus Invitational with a 10-9 victory over No. 6 Michigan Sunday at Anteater Aquatics Complex.
 
The 'Eaters (12-4) never trailed in the game as they struck first, then broke a 1-1 tie on an Elena Flynn goal with 6:19 left in the first quarter. That put them up for good as they led by as many as four in a hard-fought top-10 win.
 
UCI avenged its 7-6 loss to the Wolverines (9-7) earlier in the season at the ASU Cross Conference Challenge.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
> Nioka Thomas and Tara Prentice tied for the team lead with two goals apiece
> Prentice added two assists, two steals and three drawn exclusions
> Flynn, Sarah Nichols, Piper Smith, Jessica Lynch, Kennedy East and Brooke Banta also found the back of the cage
> Faith Tedesco finished with seven saves in goal
> Maddie O'Reilly led the Wolverines with a game-high three goals and three assists
 
FIRST QUARTER
> UC Irvine won the opening sprint and took an early 1-0 lead on a Nichols goal at the 7:29 mark
> Michigan would tie it up, but the Anteaters went back on top just 19 seconds later when Flynn found the back of the cage
> Lynch then made it 3-1 as she converted on a power play with 5:10 remaining
> The Wolverines closed the gap to one before Thomas scored twice to give the 'Eaters a 5-2 advantage
 
SECOND QUARTER
> The two teams went back-and-forth in the second frame
> Prentice started the scoring as she battled for a ball at set and came away with a five-meter penalty goal at the 6:32 mark
> UM scored on its next possession, but East answered by collecting the rebound off a Prentice shot and putting it away (2:30)
> An Anteater exclusion with 20 seconds left helped Michigan score once more as UCI took a 7-4 lead into the break
 
THIRD QUARTER
> The Wolverines cut their deficit to 7-6 with goals at 5:33 and 4:01
> Prentice stopped the momentum, firing in a backhand shot on a pass from Nichols (3:46)
> Toni Shackelford then fed Banta who delivered the ball to the right side netting for a 9-6 margin
 
FOURTH QUARTER
> Michigan converted on a penalty shot three minutes into the final frame
> Prentice then rose up for a pass to Smith who made it 10-7 with 6:43 remaining
> UM's Maddie O'Reilly followed with her second penalty goal of the quarter at 4:30
> O'Reilly also assisted on a lob shot by Kayla Barone at 2:28 to make it a one-goal game
> UCI locked down on defense over the final two minutes, starting with Nichols, who poked away a ball thrown into set
> After an Anteater turnover, Prentice had her second steal of the day with 21 seconds remaining to secure the 10-9 victory
 
UP NEXT
> UC Irvine returns to Big West play next weekend, traveling to UC Santa Barbara on Saturday, March 5