CLAREMONT, Calif. --- No. 10/9 UC Irvine women's water polo finished 3-1 at the Convergence Invitational with a 20-2 victory in the weekend finale over Cal State Monterey Bay at Haldeman Pool

UC Irvine put up the first eight goals of the match and spread out their attack scoring at least four times in every quarter for their third match of 20+ goals scored on the season.
 
Thirteen different Anteaters notched a goal on the afternoon with the leader Sara Naulty putting home a hat trick. Madeline Kasper had five points to led the 'Eaters.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Sara Naulty's three goals were a season high as were her four points
• Other multi-goal games came from Maja Layden, Lauren Hett, Madeline Kasper, Brooke Hourigan, and Deirdre Murphy
• Lauren Kirchner made five saves in her three quarter in net while Ella Walker picked up six in the fourth period alone
• UCI assisted on 14 of their goals with leaders Kasper contributing three and Annabelle Mundelius adding two
• The 'Eaters drew just three exclusions, all penalties, with Madi O'Hara drawing two of them
• UCI's defense recorded 12 steals with Nioka Thomas and Vivian Bailey each snagging two
• UC Irvine out-shot CSUMB 36-21 shooting 56% on the match
• Emma Sosa and Natalie Mancinelli had the two Otter goals with goalie Marissa White hauling in nine saves

 
SCORING BREAKDOWN

• First period: The Anteaters earned a penalty 15 seconds into the match with Lauren Hett converting. UCI finished the first with a 5-0 advantage from five different players
  • Hett (1), Naulty (1), Heaver (1), Hourigan (1), Thomas (1)
• Second period: Like the first period, UCI earned a penalty 15 seconds in and converted from Madeline Kasper. UCI's third penalty try was unsuccessful at the 5:44 mark. In an 8-0 match, CSUMB got on the board on the powerplay at 3:40 left in the half. UCI scored the final goal of the period at 1:14 to go into the half up, 9-1
  • Kasper (1), Bailey (1), Pierson (1), Hourigan (1)
• Third period: The Anteaters took the third period, 6-0, as part of an 11-0 run. Five of the goals came in the final 2:56 of the quarter including Maja Layden scoring twice 22 seconds a part. Sara Naulty also score twice in the period completing her hat trick 
  • Naulty (2), Layden (2), O'Hara (1), Hett (1)
• Fourth period: Deirdre Murphy scored twice in the first 1:06 of the fourth period. Kasper added her second and Gabbie Graniello netted her fourth goal of the weekend to go ahead, 19-1. CSUMB added their second goal with 2:48 to go in the match. Freshman Bella Calderon scored her first collegiate goal for the 20th and final goal of the match.
  • Murphy (2), Kasper (1), Graniello (1), Calderon (1)

 
UP NEXT
UC Irvine plays twice next week opening Big West play on the road Wednesday, March 5, at Cal State Fullerton, and then at UC San Diego, Saturday, March 8.