TEMPE, ARIZ. -- The California women's water polo team netted the game-winning goal with one second left to beat host No. 5 Arizona State 11-10 today in Tempe, Ariz. It was Abbi Magee's second goal of the half that topped off the win, improving the Golden Bears to 9-3 overall and 1-1 in MPSF play. 

Maria Bogachenko was instrumental in keeping Cal in stride with the Sun Devils in the first three frames. En route to her hat trick, Bogachenko pulled Cal even at 2-2 in the first, 4-4 in the second and 6-6 just before the close of the third to get the Bears some key momentum entering the final period.

Julia Bonaguidi scored three of her four goals during that period, lifting Cal to its first leads of the game with blasts that took the Bears ahead 7-6 and 8-7. The Sun Devils struck back and moved back on top with 3:13 to go, only to see Rosalie Hassett get work done at set. She earned a 5-meter penalty shot that Bonaguidi deposited to tie it up 9-9, and then Hassett earned an exclusion to set Cal up on a 6-on-5. Despoina Drakotou let loose a rocket to get Cal a 10-9 lead with 1:44 on the clock, although ASU would equalize again in a 7-on-6 setup. That Sun Devil score knotted things up 10-10 with 13 ticks to go, but the Bears were undeterred. Magee drilled the go-ahead blast with one second left, making it an 11-10 Cal lead, and Drakotou put up a field block on ASU's last-gasp try to secure the road win for Cal.

#4 Cal 11, #5 Arizona State 10
Feb. 28, 2026 | Tempe, Ariz.
CAL   2 - 2 - 2 - 5 = 11
ASU  2 - 3 - 1 - 4 = 10

SCORING:
CAL -- Julia Bonaguidi 4, Maria Bogachenko 3, Abbi Magee 2, Rosalie Hassett, Despoina Drakotou.
ASU -- Millie Quin 4, Dominika Kardos 3, Sophie Shorter-Robinson, Itziar Almeda, Jelena Butic.

SAVES: Talia Fonseca (CAL) 10, Lexi Nelson (CAL) 1, Sanne Keijzer (ASU) 11.

NEXT: Cal returns to home waters next week, hosting San Jose State in a 1 p.m. MPSF matchup next Saturday at Spieker Aquatics Complex.

NOTABLE:
- Today's win stopped a three-game losing skid for the Bears and marked Cal's seventh straight win over ASU.
- Julia Bonaguidi tied her career high with four goals scored today.
- With their goals today, Despoina Drakotou (1 goal) and Abbi Magee (2 goals) have now scored in 11 of Cal's 12 games this season.
- Magee now holds 97 career goals as she closes in on her 100th career goal.
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