March 5, 2016 DAVIS, Calif. - Junior Hannah Harvey scored three goals and posted a key field block in the final minute to propel No. 8 UC Davis to an 8-6 upset of No. 6 California in the opening game of the Davis Challenge women's water polo tournament at Schaal Aquatics Center Saturday.
The Aggies, who improve to 12-8 overall, post their first varsity-era win over the longtime Mountain Pacific Sports Federation powerhouse. The Golden Bears held a 29-0 series record against UC Davis entering Saturday's contest, a streak that included two three-goal games earlier in 2016.
Harvey hit goals in the first, second and fourth quarters. Senior Allyson Hansen and junior Bryn Lutz added two each while junior center Carla Tocchini added another in a contest that featured four ties and two lead changes. Senior goalkeeper Haley Cameron notched nine saves.
Sophomore Carla Carrega netted three goals for Cal, including back-to-back scored from the perimeter that helped turn a 4-2 halftime deficit to a 5-4 Bears lead.
UC Davis took an initial 2-1 lead after Hansen drew first blood with her goal from set at 4:32 and Harvey buried a lob three minutes later. Cal freshman Sofia Rivas delivered from the right side in the final seconds of the opening quarter to equalize at 2-2. The Aggie defense held the Golden Bears scoreless in the second while putting up a pair of goals to establish their halftime edge. Harvey's steal in transition in the opening minute led to her own second-chance goal on the other end. Then Hansen drew a kickout at the 5:47 mark as the shot clock wound down. She collected an assist from Harvey for the exclusion goal, extending the UC Davis lead to two.
Cal stormed out of the gates after the halftime intermission, with Carrega firing in nearly identical goals at 6:32 and 5:34 to knot the contest at 4-4. Senior driver Pippa Saunders made it three unanswered with her power-play goal with 4:13 left. However, Lutz stopped the run with her own 6-on-5 conversion from the three spot, evening the game at 5-5.
A minute later, junior Carla Tocchini collected a pass from Hansen and swam up toward the right post. Just before the shot clock was to expire, in a spot where it appeared the junior center would dump the ball to the corner, she spun and fired a back-handed sweep shot past a Cal defender and goalkeeper for the go-ahead. Tocchini also teamed with senior Hailey Wright for a steal at two meters after the restart to maintain a 6-5 Aggie lead heading into the fourth.
The Golden Bears tied the game for a fourth time with 5:32 in the fourth, drawing a kickout in transition then converting the power play on Carrega's hat trick goal. However, Harvey answered back with her third goal on the next trip down. Her shot from one was initially stopped by Cal goalie Madeline Trabucco, but spun loose and rolled into the cage.
Clinging to this 7-6 lead, the UC Davis defense stepped up again: this time holding the Cal attack in check for a long possession. The Golden Bears managed three shots -- two of which were blocked by Lutz and Hansen -- plus an exclusion opportunity. The Aggies stopped all four chances, then extended their lead on Lutz' long-range skip shot with 2:19 remaining.
Cal driver and U.S. Junior National Team alumna Stephanie Mutafyan fired two shots down the final stretch, but Cameron came up with the save on one while Harvey blocked the other to seal the upset win.
UC Davis had near upsets back in 2003, losing in an overtime heartbreaker at home on February 16 then falling by one goal in Santa Barbara less than a month later. However, the Aggies head never beaten their fellow UC school since making the jump from club to varsity status back in 1997.
Cal dispatched Santa Clara, 13-4, in a neutral-site contest immediately after its loss to UC Davis. Mutafyan and Emily Loughlin scored three goals each while Saunders and Kindred Paul each netted two. Senior Elle Surber led SCU with two goals, with goalie Sydni Estrella amassing eight saves.
Saturday's finale between the Aggies and Broncos was cancelled due to expected inclement weather. The team's Sunday contest at Cal State Monterey Bay also has been cancelled. UC Davis returns to action for a home tripleheader with Azusa Pacific and Hartwick on Friday, March 11.
2016 DAVIS CHALLENGE
Schaal Aquatics Center • UC Davis games only.
| No. 6t California (15-4) | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | - | 6 |
| No. 8 UC Davis (12-8) | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | - | 5 |
GOALS - CAL: Carla Carrega 3, Genevieve Weed 1, Sofia Rivas 1, Pippa Saunders 1. UC DAVIS: Hannah Harvey 3, Allyson Hansen 2, Bryn Lutz 2, Carla Tocchini 1.
GOALIE SAVES - CAL: Madeline Trabucco 6 (32:00), UC DAVIS: Haley Cameron 9 (32:00).
