NORTHRIDGE, Calif. — UC Santa Barbara Women's Water Polo team captain Leigh Lyter etched her name into program history on Friday, scoring a hat-trick to become one of the top 10 highest-scoring Gauchos of all time. Lyter's three goals brought her career total up to 123, ninth all time, but were not enough to secure the win, as the Gauchos fell, 9-8, to CSUN.
 
FROM HEAD COACH SERELA KAY
CSUN held on tough, converting 5-8 on power plays and finishing strong in the final minutes of play," Kay said.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The hosting Matadors took the lead early, but goals from Lyter and Christina Mullane turned a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 Gaucho lead before the end of the first quarter, and they kept the rally going to start the second. Annie Kuester fired home less than a minute into the second frame, and Mullane scored again to make it 5-2 with just over four minutes until halftime.
 
CSUN clawed back within reach, scoring twice to cut Santa Barbara's lead to one at the break, but the Gauchos again out-scored the Matadors in the third quarter to re-extend their advantage. Lyter and Kuester each dented the twine in the frame, and Santa Barbara held a 7-5 lead heading into the final quarter. After CSUN again got within one, Lyter completed her hat-trick to re-establish that two-goal cushion. However, three Matador goals in the final two minutes turned the tables and gave the hosts their 9-8 win.
 
UP NEXT
Santa Barbara is back in action on Saturday, April 6, taking on Concordia in Irvine at 5 p.m. The Gauchos will return home and complete their three-day, three-game run on Sunday, April 7 at 12 p.m. against UC San Diego as part of a double feature with Team USA at Dos Pueblos High School.