IRVINE, Calif. — The No. 9-ranked University of Michigan water polo team received a team-leading three goals from Ava Morrant but fell 10-9 to No. 7 Long Beach State University to open the the 2023 Barbara Kalbus Invitational hosted by the University of California-Irvine at the Anteater Aquatic Complex.
Long Beach State got on the board first in the first quarter taking advantage of a Michigan exclusion. With 20 seconds left in the quarter, the Beach netted their second goal. Long Beach State scored the first goal in the second quarter just a minute and a half in, going up 3-0.
One minute later, Erin Neustrom found the back of the goal on the power play. Long Beach State netted another goal to acquire a 4-1 lead, but Michigan scored three consecutive goals — two by Morrant and one by Kata Utassy — to knot the game at four-all heading into the half.
The Beach scored first in the second half as well before Utassy tallied her second goal of the game tie the game at 5. Long Beach State scored a pair of goals to take a 7-5 lead before Lola Ciruli inched Michigan back within one with two minutes to go in the third quarter.
Elise Walker dented the twine to tie the game at seven-all with 4:52 left to play in the fourth quarter,. Morrant scored her third of the game, earning a hat trick to deadlock the game at eight apiece. Long Beach State posted back-to-back tallies to pull to a 10-8 lead with 1:30 left on the clock. Neustrom was able to score one more goal for the Wolverines to pull within one, but Michigan could not find the equalizer.
Alex Brown recorded 10 saves between the pipes for the Wolverines.
Release courtesy University of Michigan Athletics Communications
