Box Score LA JOLLA, Calif. – No. 9 UC Irvine women's water polo finished their Saturday at the UCSD Triton Invitational against No. 2 USC falling 15-8.
 
After the Anteaters finished first in their group in the Triton Invitational, they matched up with the Trojans who stay unbeaten at 7-0 while UCI is now 6-3. They will finish the weekend in a Third-Place match against No. 5 Hawai'i at 12:10 p.m.

FIRST PERIOD
>No. 2 USC got the scoring going with a pair in the first 1:13 to lead 2-0
>No. 9 UCI got on the board with 5:09 left in the period thanks to Michaela Strickland as they now trailed, 2-1
>The Trojans scored the next two goals to open up a 4-1 lead scoring at 4:14 and 1:35
>The quarter ended with an Anteater goal as Jessica Lynch scored with an extra attacker at 0:31 cutting the score to 4-2 USC ahead after the first
 
SECOND PERIOD
>The scoring didn't begin for nearly three minutes in the second as USC made it a 5-2 lead at 5:17 left in the half
>UCI responded with a goal by Libby Alexander to make it 5-3 at 3:48. USC quickly answered at 2:52 to grow the lead back to 6-3
>Mica Schiavone added UCI's fourth goal at 2:26 to make it a 6-4 score
>USC scored twice in 27 seconds for an 8-4 lead
>Gracie Helberg earned a 5-meter try with one second left in the half that she converted to make it 8-5 USC ahead going into the half

THIRD PERIOD
>USC struck first in the second half with a goal at 6:45 to lead 9-5
>The Anteaters went on a little run with goals at 4:58 and 3:50 by Olivia Giolas and Kennedy East to close to within 9-7
>USC added goals at 3:32 and 2:10 to grow the lead back to 11-7 as the period ended
 
FOURTH PERIOD
>USC's defense shut down UCI keeping them off the board while scoring four times to lead 15-7
>UC Irvine didn't leave empty-handed with a goal with four seconds left on the clock by Elena Flynn for the final score of 15-8

UP NEXT
UCI is 2-1 in the Triton Invite with the finale coming Sunday, February 5, as they play for Third Place against No. 5 Hawai'i at 12:10 p.m.