Feb. 25, 2006

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The No. 14 UC Davis women's water polo team suffered two losses on the first day of the UC Santa Barbara Gaucho Invitational which is being held Saturday and Sunday at UCSB's Campus and Rec Center Pools. The Aggies fell 10-1 in the first game of the day against defending national champions NO. 2 UCLA before taking a narrow 7-5 loss against No. 7 Long Beach State.

Against Long Beach, the Aggies took the early lead with a goal from the left post on a six-on-five by Jessica Soza. It took a few minutes for the 49ers to muster a response, but they did in the form of an even strength goal by Christina Wensman. With 24 seconds left in the first quarter, the 49ers took a one-point lead with a goal by Maggie Hatcher.

Less than a minute into the second quarter, Aggie Casie Mota tied the game just as the teams became even following an 49er ejection. Mota's goal was the lone point of the quarter as both teams went into halftime tied at 2-2.

Only 45 seconds into the second half, Ashley Greenwood regained UC Davis' lead with goal scored out of the center. Wensmen fired back with her second goal of the game in the following possession. Following a 49er ejection, the Aggies took a time out and the result was a goal scored by Mota, once again giving the Aggies a one-point advantage. Long Beach and UC Davis traded a pair of six-on-five goals in the last two minutes of the quarter to bring the score to 5-4 in favor of the Aggies.

Long Beach's Cassie Azevedo used a quick outside shot to once again tie the game with 4:21 left to play. The 49ers took the lead with a four-meter penalty shot less than a minute later and topped that off with another six-on-five power play to end the game with a 7-5 victory.

"Our main objective is to look for improvement and I think we managed the game well and controlled the game well. I look at it as we did well, but it was a winnable game. I think Ashley Greenwood had a great offensive game and she came in for us and created instant offense," said Coach Jamey Wright of the narrow loss.

In the earlier morning game against the defending national champions UCLA, the Bruins got to an early lead with three unanswered counter attack goals in the first quarter. The Aggies held UCLA to two points in the second as the Bruins took a 5-0 lead into half time.

UCLA added two more goals in the third quarter before Katherine O'Rourke tallied the lone Aggie point with a shot scored out of center. With less than a minute left in the period, the Bruins capitalized on a six-on-five opportunity to bring the score to 8-1. UCLA grabbed two more goals in the fourth quarter and took the 10-1 win.

With the two losses, the Aggie season record falls to 7-6 overall. UC Davis will play the loser of Saturday evening's match-up between UC Santa Barbara and UC San Diego at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday as they continue competition at the Gaucho Invite.

UCLA 10, UC Davis 1

                1   2   3   4   TotalUCLA            3   2   3   2   10UC Davis        0   0   1   0   1

UCLA Goals: Kelly Rulon 3, Thalia Munro-2, Anne Belden 1, Jilliam Kraus 1, Kacy Kunkel 1, Kristina Kunkel 1, KIm Nelson 1.
UC Davis Goals: Katherine O'Rourke 1.

UC Davis Saves: Lina Moore 1, Amber Korner 4.

Long Beach 7, UC Davis 5

                 1   2   3    4   FinalLong Beach       2   0   2    3     7UC Davis         1   1   3    0     5

Long Beach Goals: Christina Wensman 2, Marina Canetti 2, Cassie Azevedo 2, Maggie Hatcher 1.
UC Davis Goals: Casie Mota 2, Jessica Soza 1, Ashley Greenwood 2.

UC Davis Goalie Saves: Lina Moore 5.