IRVINE, Calif. – In a game in which the No. 4 Cal women's water polo team led for 17 of the game's first 24 minutes, the Bears ultimately dropped a heartbreaking 12-11 decision to No. 3 UCLA in the Third Place Game of the Barbara Kalbus Invitational at UC Irvine.

The Bears (12-3) went toe to toe with one of the top teams in the nation, and led 9-7 with 3:21 left in the third period. The game was still tied at 11-11 with 3:51 to play but the Bruins' Rachel Fattal scored on a penalty shot with 17 seconds left to decide it.

Junior All-American Dora Antal scored three goals for the Bears while senior Genevieve Weed and junior Kindred Paul added a pair of scores apiece.

Cal built the lead up to 6-3 with 3:51 left in the second quarter before UCLA answered with three in a row to tie it at 6-6 early in the third. Consecutive goals by Antal and Paul pushed the Bears' advantage back to two.

After the Bruins went out in front 10-9, Antal scored her third goal of the game to tie it with 6:50 remaining. UCLA went out in front again only to see Weed knot it back up at the 3:51 mark of the fourth.

Senior goalie Madeline Trabucco made five saves for the Bears, whose three losses this season have come twice to No. 1 Stanford and the No. 3 Bruins.

The Bears have a bye next week and will return to the pool March 11 against No. 19 Harvard at Spieker Aquatics Complex. The match will be televised by the Pac-12 Networks.

 
No. 3 UCLA 12, No. 4 Cal 11
Cal 3 3 3 2 – 11
UCLA 2 3 5 2 – 12
Cal Goals: Dora Antal 3, Kindred Paul 2, Genevieve Weed 2, Anna Illes, Emma Wright, Kacey Avalos, Grace Morgan.
UCLA Goals:  Rachel Fattal 3, Alys Williams 2, Alexa Tielmann 2, Maddie Musselman, Bronte Halligan, Kodi Hill, Kelsey O'Brien, Mackenzie Barr.
Cal Saves: Madeline Trabucco 5.
UCLA Saves: Carlee Kapana 6.