The UCLA women’s water polo team began its season this past weekend in its traditional fashion, traveling to Ann Arbor, Mich., to compete in the Michigan Invitational.
Ranked No. 3 in the nation behind Stanford and USC heading into the year, the Bruins opened play Saturday with a 12-6 victory over No. 19 Indiana before suffering their initial defeat of the season, a 7-6 overtime loss to San Diego State.
Junior defender Grace Reynolds, who transferred from California before this season, recorded a total of six goals between the two games during her first day competing as a Bruin. Sophomore Caitlin Dement got her first taste of action as the team’s regular goalkeeper. Dement, who started two games last year in a backup role to the graduated Brittany Fullen, started all four of UCLA’s games in Michigan.
On Sunday, the Bruins knocked off the No. 10 Wolverines 10-7 in the morning session and closed the tournament on a victorious note in defeating UC San Diego 10-4 later Sunday.
UCLA’s sister tandem of junior attacker Priscilla Orozco and sophomore center Sarah Orozco combined for nine goals on Sunday, while Reynolds tallied three more of her own against UC San Diego to spark the Bruins’ offense.
UCLA will have a two-week break before it travels north to Palo Alto the weekend of Feb. 6-7 to compete in the Stanford Invitational.
Compiled by Ryan Eshoff, Bruin Sports senior staff.