Feb. 20, 2010
BERKELEY, CALIF. - The No.3-ranked California women's water polo team was upset by No. 4 UCLA 7-6 in the final home match of the season. Golden Bears sophomore Emily Csikos led all scorers with five, giving the Calgary, Alberta native a team-high 36 goals on the year. Cal falls to 10-2 on the season, losing their first Mountain Pacific Sports Federation match of the season. This was also the Bears' first home loss of the year, finishing 7-1 at Spieker Aquatics Complex.
Csikos scored the first goal of the game halfway through the first quarter, giving Cal an early 1-0 lead. The Bruins quickly responded with a goal by Grace Reynolds less than a minute later. The Bears were able to retake the lead in the final seconds of the opening period on Csikos's second goal.
UCLA's Brooke Martin tied the game in the first minute of the second quarter. Cal senior Camille Hewko put her team back in front with 5:37 remaining in the half. The Bruins were able to even the score before halftime on Martin's second goal of the period.
Csikos added two more goals for the Bears in the third quarter to take a 5-3 lead with 2:55 remaining. However, UCLA's Priscilla Orozco cut the Cal lead to one before the final period.
Less than a minute into the fourth quarter, Priscilla Orozco scored her second goal of the match to knot the score at five apiece. With 5:18 remaining in the game, her sister, Sarah Orozco, broke the tie to give the Bruins a 6-5 advantage. Kelly Easterday padded UCLA's lead with a goal at the 4:13 mark. Csikos added her fifth goal of the match on a penalty shot with 57 seconds left to cut the Bruins' lead to 7-6. The Bears defense was able to hold UCLA on their next possession, giving Cal one final chance to send the game to overtime. With less than ten seconds remaining, the Bears attempted one last shot that hit the edge of the goal, preserving the win for the Bruins.
Cal will next travel to Irvine, Calif. for the UCI Invitational on Sat. and Sun. Feb. 27-28. The Bears will open against UC Davis on Saturday at the Anteater Aquatics Complex.
UCLA: 1-2-1-3 --- 7
California: 2-1-2-1 --- 6
UCLA Goals: Priscilla Orozco 2, Brooke Martin 2, Sarah Orozco,
Grace Reynolds, Kelly Easterday
California Goals: Emily Csikos 5, Camille Hewko
UCLA Saves: Caitlin Dement 5
California Saves: Stephanie Peckham 8
