Skip To Main Content

University of California, Santa Barbara

Mady with the ball
Derrick Tuskan
5
Cal State Fullerton CSF (9-8)
8
Winner UC Santa Barbara UCSB (11-7)
Cal State Fullerton CSF
(9-8)
5
Final
8
UC Santa Barbara UCSB
(11-7)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Cal State Fullerton CSF 1 1 1 2 5
UC Santa Barbara UCSB 2 1 2 3 8

Game Recap: Women's Water Polo |

Gauchos Beat Titans on Final Day of Kalbus Invitational

CORONA DEL MAR, Calif. — The No. 18 UC Santa Barbara Women's Water Polo team (11-7) wrapped up their trip to UC Irvine's Barbara Kalbus Invitational with an 8-5 win over Cal State Fullerton (9-8) on Sunday, defeating the Titans for a second time this season. Bella Mady, Isabel Valaika and Imani Clemons each tallied two goals in the game for Santa Barbara.
 
FROM INTERIM HEAD COACH EMMA MYALL
"Today's game was a good win," Myall said. "We finished on the outside a lot and we put defense first! It was a great way to end a big weekend."

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Gauchos never trailed in what was a defensive battle on Sunday. Valaika opened the scoring inside the first two minutes, and after Fullerton equalized, Molly Souza scored to give Santa Barbara their lead back. At the end of the first, it was 2-1 Gauchos.
 
The Titans tied the scores at two in the second, and they had the chance to take the lead from a five-meter penalty shot, but Ava Donleavy denied them, one of nine saves on the day for her. Mady then scored with 30 seconds left before halftime to send the Gauchos into the break with the lead.
 
Fullerton tied the game again in the third, this time converting a five-meter penalty shot, but after that Santa Barbara managed to finally pull away. Annie Kuester gave the Gauchos their lead back with her only goal of the game, and Mady scored again to make it 5-3 at the end of the third. Valaika scored first in the fourth to make it a three-goal cushion, which Santa Barbara looked like they might need after two Fullerton goals made it 6-5. But Clemons stepped up and scored twice down the stretch to put away the Titans. Her first goal was just 12 seconds after Fullerton had pulled within one, killing the rally, and her second iced the game with just 23 seconds left to play.
 
UP NEXT
The Gauchos have just two non-conference matchups left before opening Big West play. Santa Barbara will be in Claremont to face Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and Azusa Pacific on Friday, Feb. 28, then in Long Beach on March 1 to open Big West play against the Beach.
 
Print Friendly Version