Several Career Days Sends UCI Past Santa Clara, 19-5

Friday, March 1

Pomona, CA

10:15 a.m.

UC Irvine

7-8

Santa Clara

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
UC Irvine	6	5	5	3	19
Santa Clara	2	0	3	0	5

Several Career Days Sends UCI Past Santa Clara, 19-5

March 01, 2024 | Women's Water Polo

Box Score

By: Jordan Kehoe

CLAREMONT, Calif. – Four Anteaters recorded hat-tricks in No. 7/7 UC Irvine's dominating 19-5 win over Santa Clara to kick off the Convergence Invitational.

Freshman Marilynn Hassett ignited UCI's offensive effort as she knotted the game 2-all after two goal deficit and had notched her first career three-goal game by the end of the first period. Hassett then went on to dish out two assists and stole the ball a team best three times.

Sophomore transfer Maja Layden and redshirt freshman Charley Birdsall also notched their first career hat-tricks as Anteaters by the end of the contest.

Freshman Lauren Hett poured in three goals as well for her second three-goal performance of the season.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

11 different Anteaters contributed to the scoring effort
UC Irvine shot at a blistering 0.576 clip (19-33) clip on the game and converted on 50 percent of their power play chances (4-8)
Freshman Rachel Kirchner started between the posts recording her second consecutive win and tied her career high 10 saves
Avy Newton, Kennedy East, and Jensine Bugelli added two assists each in the contest
Bugelli joins Hassett for a game best three steals
Annabelle Mundelius drew a team high two exclusions to go along with two steals and an assist
Santa Clara was led by Kate Rodman who recorded three goals on six shots

SCORING BREAKDOWN

First period: After finding themselves down 2-0 in the first three minutes of the game, No. 7/7 UC Irvine rattled off six unanswered to push ahead 6-2. Marilynn Hassett was incredible scoring the first two Anteater goals to tie the game up at 3:45 before notching her first career hat-trick with four seconds on the clock.
- Hassett (3), Hett (1), Layden (1), and Norris (1)
Second period: The Anteater run continued as they added five more goals to their run. UCI scored four of their five of the period (6:09, 5:45, 2:09, and 1:39) on counterattacks. Maja Layden secured the UCI lead with her ripping shot into the bottom corner with 44 seconds remaining in the half, 11-2.
- Alexander (1), Layden (1), Naulty (1), O'Hara (1), and Shackelford (1)
Third period: Santa Clara extinguished their scoring drought at 6:48 as they found the opening between the UCI defense to sneak the ball through and found the back of the net again (6:04) while up a player. Layden, Jensine Bugelli, and Charley Birdsall deposited the last three goals for either side in the period as the 'Eaters stayed ahead, 16-5.
- Birdsall (2), Bugelli (1), Hett (1), and Layden (1)
Fourth period: No. 7/7 UC Irvine's fiery offense could not be put out as the Anteaters finished the contest on a 6-0 run. The UCI defense remained stout to not allow the Broncos to score in the final stanza as the 'Eaters came away with the 19-5 victory.
- Birdsall (1), Hett (1), and Hourigan (1)