March 28, 2009
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Senior Lindsay Kiyama and junior Dana Nelsen each scored three goals to lead 11th-ranked UC Davis to a 12-7 over No. 13 UC Santa Barbara in Big West Conference women's water polo action at Campus Pool Saturday afternoon.
The Aggies improve to 18-7 for the year, and open at 1-0 in conference play. The Gauchos dip to 12-7 overall and 0-1 in Big West games. This is the first year in which the Big West Conference has sponsored water polo, and the UC Davis-UCSB contest was one of three games in the league's inaugural weekend.
Freshman Kaylee Miller added two goals for UC Davis, while Sofia Patronas, Christina Miyabe and Cari MacPhail each added one. Junior Casey Hines posted seven goalie saves in her three quarters in net, then senior Diana Pivacek picked up a block in her fourth-period stint.
The Aggies exploded to a 4-0 start in the first quarter before the Gauchos fought back to a 4-4 tie after Jillian Waldron's goal ignited a run of four unaswered goals. UCSB trailed by just a one-goal deficit at the halftime break, then UC Davis responded with four straight goals to start the third period, crafting a 9-4 lead and effectively closing out the victory.
Senior Gillian Morgan scored two goals to lead the Gauchos offensively.
UC Davis continues its inaugural Big West Conference weekend at Cal State Northridge on Sunday.
| #11 UC Davis (18-7, 1-0) | 4 | 1 | 5 | 2 | - | 12 |
| #13 UC Santa Barbara (12-7, 0-1) | 0 | 4 | 2 | 1 | - | 7 |
GOALS - UC Davis: Lindsay Kiyama 3, Dana Nelsen 3, Kaylee Miller 2, Sofia Patronas 1, Christina Miyabe 1, Cari MacPhail 1. UCSB: Gillian Morgan 2, Katie Kepner, Lizzie Rouleau, Alisha Khan, Kathryn Nelson, Jillian Waldron.
GOALIES - UC Davis: Casey Hines 7 saves, 6 goals against (24:00); Diana Pivacek 1 save, 1 goal against (8:00). UCSB: Chelsea Carrillo 5 (32:00).
