San Jose, Calif. - The No. 10 Pacific women's water polo team was topped by No. 9 UC Davis, 14-10, Sunday.
Freshman Kyra Christmas scored six goals, the most ever by a Tiger against a ranked team, but the Aggies seized control with a 5-2 third quarter and outscored Pacific 9-4 in the second half.
Rachel Krieger added two goals while Karolina Hlavata and Megan Torre each also scored. Meghan Nee recorded nine saves in goal.
Christmas gave the Tigers a 2-0 lead with a power-play goal set up by Krieger and an even strength tally off an assist from Catie Mahnke. After Bryn Lutz answered for UC Davis, Christmas completed the hat trick seconds later off a Torre assist. The Aggies cut the Tigers' lead to 3-2 after one as Allyson Hanson scored with 2:25 to go in the quarter.
In the second, Torre provided a two-goal lead, but Hannah Harvey responded to bring Pacific's lead to 4-3. Christmas struck again, but Harvey answered 17 seconds later. Lutz tied the game at 5-5 on the power-play before Krieger finished 6-on-5 off a Viktoria Szmodics assist as the Tigers led 6-5 at halftime.
Coming out of the break, Lutz tied the game at 6-6 with a 6-on-5 goal. On the ensuing possession, Krieger gave the Tigers a 7-6 lead with 4:58 to go off a Christmas assist.
But Harvey completed her hat trick to tie the score at 7-7 and kick off a run of five-straight UC Davis goals. Hansen gave the Aggies the lead, and Jill Bushman made it 9-7 before Annie Kutt provided a three-goal lead. Lutz stretched the lead to four before Hlavata ended the run with an even strength goal.
Pacific trailed 11-8 entering the fourth. Alexis Hollinrake set up Christmas for another goal as Pacific pulled within two, but Kutt scored again to restore a three-goal cushion.
The Tigers earned a penalty shot and Christmas converted for goal number six on the day, but Pacific would get no closer as Lutz finished a power-play and Carla Tocchini tacked on a late goal.
Christmas now has 13 goals and five assists in three games with the Tigers.
Pacific falls to 0-3 on the young season, while UC Davis moves to 2-1. The Tigers face Sonoma State Sunday at 4 p.m.
