IRVINE, Calif. – No. 10/9 UC Irvine took down Black and Blue rival No. 12/12 Long Beach State, 11-10, in the seventh-place game of the Barbara Kalbus Invitational.
 
Both graduate student Brooke Hourigan and junior Gabby Norris notched hat-tricks in the contest.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Norris registered her first multi-goal game of the season
• Libby Alexander was the other player to have a multi-score game for the Anteaters with two
• Airian Grisham, Gracie Helberg, and Marilynn Hassett rounded out the scoring
• Freshman Rachel Kirchner earned her first career start and win today as she blocked 10 shots
• Alexander dished out a game best three assists
• Sara Naulty tallied two assists
• Kili Skibby, Jensine Bugelli, and Kirchner all stole the ball a team best two times
• No. 12/12 Long Beach State was paced by Amanda Price with three goals on seven shots, an assist, and a steal

 
SCORING BREAKDOWN

• First period: No. 12/12 Long Beach State got on the board first before Brooke Hourigan (5:50) leveled the score on her cross-cage dagger off the pass from Airian Grisham. The Beach pulled ahead by one, but Gabby Norris (3:14, 2:12) and Sara Naulty teamed up for two consecutive Anteater scores for the 3-2 advantage. LBSU knotted the score 3-all with two seconds remaining in the period with a last chance shot while up a player.
  • Norris (2) and Hourigan (1)
• Second period: Norris recorded the hat-trick at 3:40 as No. 10 UC Irvine called a timeout a few seconds prior to draw up a plan to get the ball into the back of the cage. The Beach once again scored in the final 10 seconds of the period to keep the game locked, 4-4.
  • Norris (1)
• Third period: Both teams remained scoreless for a few minutes until Libby Alexander drew an exclusion and then quickly converted at 6:23, but UCI was unable to hold their lead as LBSU equalized at 5:51, 5-5. The Anteaters went on a 3-0 that saw goals from Alexander (5:14) off a back post sneak, Marilynn Hassett (4:23), and Grisham (3:26). Long Beach State added one more in the final minute as UCI carried the 8-6 lead into the final stanza.
  • Alexander (2), Grisham (1), and Hassett (1)
• Fourth period: No. 10 UC Irvine continued their tear with a Hourigan (6:30) shot that banged in off the right post and Gracie Helberg's (5:03) quick flick into the cage on the 6-on-5 to put the 'Eaters ahead, 10-6. LBSU registered three unanswered in the following three and a half minutes to close within one. Hourigan deposited her third goal of the game with 54 seconds left as she found the wide-open spot. The Beach were able to get one back with 28 ticks on the clock, but it was not enough as UCI walked away with the 11-10 victory.
  • Hourigan (2) and Helberg (1)

 
UP NEXT
The Anteaters make the trip to the Pomona-Pitzer Convergence Invitational from Mar. 1-2 and face Santa Clara (10:15 a.m.) and the hosting Sagehens (2 p.m.) to open the tournament.