LOS ANGELES – The Anteaters poured in six fourth period goal in an effort to overcome a 10-point deficit, but fell short, 19-15, at No. 1/1 USC Saturday afternoon.
 
Three UC Irvine players notched hat-tricks in the contest. Both Libby Alexander and Brooke Hourigan were perfect at the cage while Nioka Thomas went 3-5.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Both Sara Naulty and Kennedy East had multi-goal games with two each
• Pippa Heaver and Deirdre Murphy rounded out the scoring with one goal apiece
• Hourigan and East both dished out three assists
• Sophomore Rachel Kirchner played the first three quarters in the cage making three saves
• Sophomore Ella Walker made her Anteater debut in fourth quarter to stop three shots
• No. 1/1 USC was led by Emily Ausmus' and Tilly Kearns five goals

SCORING BREAKDOWN

• First period: After No. 1/1 USC started the scoring, Libby Alexander (6:55) bounced back for the Anteaters, locking the score back up off the pass from Brooke Hourigan. The Women of Troy converted twice on power play chances to take the advantage before Sara Naulty was handed the ball by Alexander to draw within one, 3-2, at 5:03. USC continued on runs of two for the remainder of the opening period holding the 7-3 lead.
  • Alexander (1), Heaver (1), and Naulty (1)
• Second period: Hourigan stole the ball from USC's Ava Stryker right after the opening sprint, setting up a scoring play that saw Kennedy East feed the ball back to Hourigan at 7:21. No. 6/6 UC Irvine brought it back to a three-goal game when Maja Layden blocked the shot on defense to allow the Anteaters bring the ball up the pool for an Alexander (4:30) score. The Women of Troy outscored UCI 3-1 in the final two minutes pushing their advantage to 12-7 at the end of the first half.
  • Alexander (1), Hourigan (1), Naulty (1), and Thomas (1)
• Third period: The Women of Troy could not be stopped in the third stanza, rattling off seven scores to the Anteaters two. Hourigan found the back of the cage at 3:59 after a steal from goalkeeper Rachel Kirchner set up the play and the Hourigan was credited the assist on East's score at 0:11 as UCI saw themselves down, 19-9.
  • East (1) and Hourigan (1)
• Fourth period: It was all UC Irvine in the final eight minutes, firing off six goals and holding USC off the board. Five different Anteaters posted a score with Nioka Thomas adding two, but the comeback rally was not enough as they fell 19-15.
  • Thomas (2), Alexander (1), East (1), Hourigan (1), and Murphy (1)

 
UP NEXT
The Anteaters open their home portion of the schedule next Saturday (Feb. 15) at 12 p.m. against No. 3/3 UCLA.