UCLA women’s water polo traveled to its farthest-away games of the 2016 season this weekend, sweeping the competition in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
The No. 2 Bruins (15-2) won both games Saturday against No. 15 Loyola Marymount 17-4 and George Washington 22-5. The following day, UCLA was able to continue its dominance, capping off a 9-5 win against No. 5 Michigan and 20-5 win over Bucknell.
UCLA was dominant both offensively and defensively on the opening day of the invite. The Bruins dispersed scoring among 11 players and registered 12 turnovers against the Lions. UCLA continued its defensive pressure throughout the day, forcing 21 turnovers and recording 11 steals, making George Washington shoot a mere 25 percent.
Freshman attacker Lizette Rozeboom tallied a total of 10 goals in Saturday’s matchups, setting a career-high seven goals against George Washington.
Sunday’s game against Michigan was another story.
The Bruins could not find the back of the net as easily as they did against Saturday’s opponents. The host team shut UCLA down, forcing a 36 percent shooting average as the Bruins went nine for 25 on goal attempts.
Execution was a major struggle early in the season for the Bruins. And though UCLA executed against LMU, George Washington and Bucknell, it did not do so as easily against a top-ranked team.
The Bruins were unable to convert a single power play on five 6-on-5 opportunities against Michigan’s staunch defense.
Sophomore attacker Devin Grab and senior center India Forster ultimately stepped up and ignited an offensive spark for the Bruins, notching three goals apiece.
On the defensive end, UCLA was able to hold Michigan to five goals. The Wolverines were unable to score in the first and last quarters of the game thanks to goalkeepers senior Alex Musselman and freshman Carlee Kapana. The two had a combined total of seven saves – four and three, respectively.
The Bruins concluded the tournament securing a dominant 20-5 win over the Bucknell Bison on Sunday afternoon, placing them in a good position for their first Mountain Pacific Sports Federation conference game next weekend.