IRVINE, Calif. No. 9 UC Irvine women's water polo team defeated No. 11 Harvard, 12-10, on Sunday morning for their last home game of the regular season at Anteater Aquatics Complex. 

UCI took an early 2-0 lead in the first frame before Harvard got on the board at the 5:55 mark. The 'Eaters netted another before the Crimson went on a 4-0 run to take a 5-3 lead. UCI got one back before the horn to pull within one, 5-4, at the end of one. The Anteaters held Harvard to just one goal in the second period, while adding two of their own to tie it up, 6-6, at the end of the half. Each squad added one tally in the third to leave it tied 7-7 heading into the final frame. The Anteaters outscored the Crimson 5-3 in the fourth quarter to seal the 12-10 victory. 

BY THE NUMBERS: Sophomore Deirdre Murphy led the 'Eaters with four goals while junior Sara Naulty netted the hat trick. 

Pippa Heaver netted two goals while Lauren Hett, Madi O'Hara, and Michelle Urkov each added one. 

Maya O'Dea led the Crimson with five goals. Orli Cooper recorded 14 saves in net for Harvard. 

HOW IT HAPPENED: Sara Naulty found the back of the net at the 7:00 mark to give the 'Eaters an early 1-0 lead. Michelle Urkov netted one, with help from Naulty, at the 6:15 mark to increase the advantage, 2-0. Harvard got on the board at the 5:55 mark to cut the lead, 2-1. Naulty netted her second of the period, with an assist from Lauren Hett, at the 4:37 mark to maintain the lead, 3-1. Harvard went on a 4-0 run (3:45, 2:53, 2:10, 1:43) with the last tally coming from a penalty shot to take a 5-3 lead. Hett got one back with just 0:02 remaining to pull within one, 5-4, at the end of the first period. 

Pippa Heaver was whistled for an exclusion, leading to a goal on the man advantage for the Crimson at the 5:37 mark. Deirdre Murphy found the back of the net, with help from Hett, at the 5:24 mark to pull with one, 6-5. Murphy netted another, with an assist from Urkov, on the power play (3:52) to tie it up, 6-6, at the end of the half

Each team did not let up a goal in the third frame until the 1:48 mark when the Crimson found the back of the net to retake the lead, 7-6. Madi O'Hara netted the equalizer, with help from Chloe Patist, at the 0:49 mark to even it up 7-7 at the end of three. 

O'Hara drew an exclusion, leading to a power play goal for Heaver, with an assist from Hett, at the 7:08 mark to take the lead, 8-7. Mary Hassett was whistled for a penalty, leading to a goal on the five-meter attempt for the Crimson to tie it up 8-8 at the 5:35 mark. Murphy found the back of the net on the man advantage, with an assist from Urkov, to retake the lead, 9-8, at the 5:10 mark. Naulty added a tally, with help from Urkov, to increase the advantage, 10-8, at the 4:43 mark. Murphy netted her fourth of the game, with an assist from Hassett, at the 3:47 mark to keep the 'Eaters ahead, 11-8. Harvard got one back (1:58) before Heaver added a tally at the 0:11 mark to maintain the lead, 12-9. The Crimson got one back as time expired to leave UCI up 12-10 at the horn.