FRESNO, Calif. – UC Irvine women's water polo earned their first victory of the season against No. 18 San Jose State, 12-4, in a dominating offensive and defensive performance.
 
The goalkeeping effort combined for 15 saves and nine different Anteaters scored at least one goal.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Jensine Bugelli, Gracie Helberg, and Brooke Hourigan had multiple goal games, scoring two each
• Kili Skibby, Kennedy East, Madi O'Hara, Lauren Hett, Sara Naulty, and Annabelle Mundelius added the other Anteater tallies
• UCI shot 12-26 (0.462) in the game and were an efficient 3-5 (0.600) on power plays
• Senior Faith Tedesco made the start in the cage, blocking a season high 12 shots in three periods
• Senior Jordan Frost closed out the game in net posting three saves
• East, O'Hara, and Gabby Norris dished out the Anteater assists
• Bugelli stole the ball a game best three times
• No. 18 San Jose State was led by Renee Fleming who recorded two goals on three shots

 
SCORING BREAKDOWN

• First period: UC Irvine struck first in the contest off Brooke Hourigan's wide open shot up top (7:30). After San Jose State answered with a goal of their own, the Anteaters went on a 3-0 run before both teams added one more with UCI leading, 5-2.
  • Hourigan (2), Mundelius (1), O'Hara (1), and Skibby (1)
• Second period: The Anteaters played strong defense and were able to gain an edge offensively. Gracie Helberg (6:20) kicked off the period with her conversion on the five-meter penalty shot before freshman Lauren Hett aimed her shot perfect at the top of the formation on the one-player advantage as UCI holds the 7-2 lead.
  • Helberg (1) and Hett (1)
• Third period: Jensine Bugelli scored the first two goals of the action with her turn around shot at 7:43 and then swam through the steal to take it down the rest of the length of the pool for the cross cage shot (5:49). San Jose State found themselves back on the board for the first time in nearly 16 minutes of action. Kennedy East snuck the ball under the arm of the Spartans keeper at 1:58 to keep UCI ahead, 10-3.
  • Bugelli (2) and East (1)
• Fourth period: Both sides did not see a score until Helberg extinguished the drought at 5:33. Two minutes later, SJSU (3:30) was awarded a five-meter penalty shot that went into the back of the cage. As the action was winding down, the Spartans were called on the offensive foul which allowed Sara Naulty to go 1-on-1 with the SJSU keeper and banged the ball into the cage off the right post to secure the 12-4 UC Irvine victory.
  • Helberg (1) and Naulty (1)

UP NEXT
The Anteaters will close out the Polo Palooza tournament with Big West foe No. 11 UC Davis at 12:30 p.m.