RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Attacker Lauren Hett guided No. 7/7 UC Irvine to a 12-6 season opening victory over the three-time defending NCAA Division III Champions No. 25 Pomona-Pitzer.
 
Hett finished the game with six total points (four goals and two assists) after contributing to three of the Anteaters four points in the first period of action. The sophomore did not miss a shot in the game.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Kennedy East finished with two goals in the contest
• Six Anteaters contributed one goal each
• Both Peyton Pierson and Pippa Heaver notched their first career collegiate goals
• Sophomore Rachel Kirchner played all 32 minutes in the cage where she saved four shots
• Attacker Brooke Hourigan tied the team lead of two assists
• Sophomore Mary Hassett led all players with three steals
• Centers Madi O'Hara and Nioka Thomas combined for five drawn exclusions, earning three and two respectively
• Both teams converted only two of their power play chances
• No. 25 Pomona-Pitzer was led by Paityn Richardson's two goals and nine saves from Thea Pine

SCORING BREAKDOWN

• First period: No. 7/7 UC Irvine opened the contest strong as they drew a penalty foul in center allowing Lauren Hett (7:18) to bury the ball into the cage. Hett then continued to fuel the Anteater offense, dishing to Kennedy East (6:38) after stripping the ball from the Sagehens and adding her second tally of the day at 4:38. Freshman Peyton Pierson (3:48) got in on the action to a power play chance to keep UCI up, 4-0.
  • Hett (2), East (1), and Pierson (1)
• Second period: After holding No. 25 Pomona-Pitzer off the board for nine minutes of game action, they placed the ball into the back of the cage at 6:55 on an Anteater turnover. UCI called a timeout to draw up a play for a pass into Nioka Thomas (5:00) for a score followed by Hett's (4:16) third score of the contest on the next offensive possession. The 'Eaters continued to push the margin with a Libby Alexander (3:00) five-meter conversion, but with 16 seconds left in the half, P-P found the back of the cage to make it a 7-2 game at the break.
  • Alexander (1), Hett (1), and Thomas (1)
• Third period: Midway through the third frame action, Gracie Helberg (4:35) added a tally to the score board to keep the five-point margin (8-3). Brooke Hourigan got into the offensive action, facilitating passes to both Hett (4:01) and East (2:38), heading into the final stanza ahead, 10-4.
  • East (1), Helberg (1), and Hett (1)
• Fourth period: Each side saw two goals go in during the final eight minutes of action. No. 7/7 UC Irvine scored on the bookends of the period as Pippa Heaver (6:03) has help from Mary Hassett to find the cage and Madi O'Hara (2:02) was dealt the ball from Pierson for the 12-6 win.
  • Heaver (1) and O'Hara (1)

 
UP NEXT
The Anteaters will turn around and face No. 3/4 USC at 1:30 p.m.