LA JOLLA, Calif. — The No. 5-ranked University of Michigan water polo team settled for fourth place at the University of California-San Diego Triton Invitational after dropping a pair of one-goal contests, falling to No. 3 the University of California-Los Angeles, 7-6, in the semifinals before dropping a 14-13 game in ovetime to No. 6 the University of Hawaii at the Canyonview Aquatic Center.
Michigan started hot against the third-ranked Bruins of UCLA as Maddie O’Reilly scored three first-quarter goals to give the Wolverines a 3-0 lead with two goals coming in a span of 36 seconds early in the action. Facing its biggest deficit of the season, UCLA got momentum as Katrina Drake scored with 32 seconds remaining in the quarter to get the Bruins going.
That goal was the first of four consecutive for UCLA as the Bruins edged back into the game and then took a 4-3 lead before a wild fourth quarter.
Michigan pulled even on a goal from Ava Morrant at the 5:14 mark before Molly Renner reclaimed the lead for UCLA just over a minute later. The teams combined for four goals over the final three and a half minutes, but U-M never got back to even.
Renner led six Bruins scorers with two goals, while UCLA was able to clamp down on O’Reilly after her torrid start. Elise Walker and Kata Utassy added goals for the Maize and Blue.
In the third-place game, O’Reilly shone bright again, sending the game in overtime on her fourth goal of the night, this one coming with one second remaining in regulation.
In the extra sessions, Hawaii scored twice to take a 14-12 lead. Kayla Barone got one goal back on a marker with 58 seconds remaining and U-M got the ball back but could not find another equalizer. The win provided a measure of revenge for Hawaii, which lost to Michigan just last week.
The contest saw nine ties as Hawaii never relinquished the lead but was never more than two goals ahead of a persistent Wolverine squad.
O’Reilly’s four goals led all players, while Barone had three goals.
Release courtesy University of Michigan Athletics Communications
