UCI Big West Presser

LONG BEACH, Calif. - No. 4 seed UC Irvine women's water polo team defeated No. 5 seed UC San Diego, 22-14, and tied the Big West Championship scoring record on Friday afternoon at Ken Lindgren Aquatics Center to advance to the Semifinals. 

The 'Eaters 22 tallies is the most in a Big West Championship game in program history, passing the previous benchmark of 18. They also tied the Big West Championship scoring record set last season by Long Beach State. 

The Anteaters came out hot, outscoring the Tritons 7-2 in the first frame. UCI kept the momentum and added eight tallies in the second quarter, while holding UC San Diego to just four to take a commanding 15-6 lead at the end of the first half. The 'Eaters only allowed two goals in the third quarter, and added five of their own, to increase their lead, 20-8, heading into the final frame. UC San Diego outscored the Anteaters 6-2 in the final frame, but couldn't overcome UCI's lead as they secured the 22-14 win. 

BY THE NUMBERS: Eight different 'Eaters recorded a multi-goal game in the quarterfinal. Redshirt senior Madi O'Hara and freshman Michelle Urkov led UCI with three goals each. 

Lauren Hett, Hollis Munchoff, Mary Hassett, Vivian Bailey, Sydney Hagan, and Deirdre Murphy each added two tallies. 

Pippa Heaver, Chloe Patist, Annabelle Mundelius, and Sara Naulty each added one goal. Ella Walker and Annie Peak combined for seven saves in net. 

Sofia Munatones led the Tritons with four goals. 

HOW IT HAPPENED: The 'Eaters opened up the quarterfinal match strong, going on a 3-0 run to build the lead. Michelle Urkov struck first on UCI's first possession, with help from Pippa Heaver, to take a 1-0 lead at the 7:13 mark. Sara Naulty found the back of the net, with Heaver dishing another assist, at the 6:26 mark. Urkov drew an exclusion, setting up a goal on the man advantage from Mary Hassett, with an assist from Urkov, at the 5:53 mark to take a 3-0 lead. The 'Eaters killed off a six-on-four powerplay, but the Tritons maintained possession and found the back of the at the 5:18 mark to cut the lead, 3-1. Annabelle Mundelius added a tally at the 4:43 mark to maintain the lead, 4-1. Lauren Hett stole the ball in the defensive end, setting up a goal from Sydney Hagan, with an assist from Mundelius, boosting the advantage, 5-1, at the 4:06 mark. Heaver stole the ball in the defensive end, setting up a goal from her at the 2:52 mark. The Tritons got one back at the 2:13 mark to cut the 'Eaters lead, 6-2. Deirdre Murphy drew an exclusion, setting up a goal on the powerplay from Vivian Bailey (1:42), with help from Chloe Patist, to end the first quarter with the 'Eaters leading 7-2. 

Heaver stole the ball in the defensive end, leading to a goal from Madi O'Hara, with an assist from Hassett, at the 6:36 mark to increase the advantage, 8-2. Mundelius drew a penalty, setting up a goal on the five-meter attempt from Lauren Hett (5:19) before Hett netted another (4:47), with help from Ella Walker, to increase the lead to 10-2. Urkov added a tally, with an assist from Hett, at the 4:22 mark. UC San Diego got one back at the 3:46 mark to cut the lead, 11-3. O'Hara found the back of the net (3:33), with help from Patist, before the Tritons netted one on a five-meter attempt at the 3:19 mark, cutting the advantage, 12-4. O'Hara drew a penalty, setting up a goal on the five-meter attempt from Hagan at the 3:00 mark. UC San Diego added a tally (2:33) before Patist found the back of the net, with an assist from Bella Calderon, at the 1:14 mark to maintain the lead, 14-5. Urkov added a tally (0:27) before the Tritons netted the final goal of the half (0:11) on the power play to leave the 'Eaters up, 15-6. 

Heaver won the opening sprint and Hett drew an exclusion, leading to a goal on the man advantage from Hassett, with an assist from Naulty, at the 7:19 mark. The Tritons found the back of the net on the power play at the 6:48 mark to cut the 'Eaters lead to 16-7. O'Hara added a tally on the man advantage at the 6:25 mark before Vivian Bailey found the back of the net (3:53), with help from Hagan, to increase the lead 18-7. Murphy netted one with help from Patist (2:27) before Murphy netted another on the power play, with an assist from Bella Calderon, to increase the lead, 20-7, at the 1:44 mark. The Tritons netted the final goal of the third period on the man advantage with 0:03 remaining to cut the lead, 20-8. 

The Tritons netted the first two goals of the fourth frame on the power play (6:23, 4:22) to cut the 'Eaters lead to 20-10. Munchoff added a tally, with help from Jess Reagan, at the 3:58 mark to maintain the lead, 21-10. UC San Diego got one back (3:44) before Munchoff found the back of the net again (3:17), with an assist from Mundelius, to boost the Anteaters lead, 22-11. Munchoff's goal, which put the 'Eaters at 22 tallies, tied the record for the most goals in a Big West Championship match that was set last season by Long Beach State. The Tritons netted the final three goals of the match (1:56, 1:08, 0:24) with the first and last coming on five-meter attempts and the second coming on the power play. The 'Eaters secured the 22-14 victory to move on to the semifinal. 

UP NEXT: No. 4 seed UCI takes on No. 1 seed Hawai'i tomorrow, April 11, at 2 p.m. for the Big West Championship Semifinal at Ken Lindgren Aquatics Center.