Irvine, Calif. - The No. 12 Pacific women's water polo team fell twice in the consolation round of the UC Irvine Invitational Sunday, as No. 11 San Jose State won 10-7 and No. 13 UC San Diego won 9-6.
Viktoria Szmodics scored four goals against UCSD, while Karolina Hlavata and Ellen Tiedemann each scored once. Hlavata posted two goals against San Jose State, while Tiedemann, Aelish Guinn, Catie Mahnke and Megan Torre each tallied one goal.
Pacific falls to 6-12 overall on the year, with all 12 losses to the Top 13 of the polls.
In the first game of the day, San Jose State jumped out to a 1-0 lead before Guinn tied it up. The Spartans carried a 2-1 lead into the second quarter and tallied the first of the third quarter. Tiedemann brought the Tigers back to within 3-2, but Rae Lekness responded for the Spartans. Torre answered right back, but on the ensuing possession, Donia Momen scored for SJSU. Lekness added two more goals before Hlavata closed the half with a goal to bring Pacific to within 7-4.
Hlavata tallied in the third before Lekness' fifth of the game but the game out of reach. Alexis Hollinrake made five saves and surrounded eight goals before Meghan Nee played the fourth quarter.
Alicia Magliocco made 10 saves for the Spartans, who improved to 9-8.
In the finale, Pacific fell behind 2-1 in the first despite a power-play goal from Hlavata. Szmodics posted back-to-back goals to open the second and put Pacific in front, 3-2.
Emma Sasson's second goal tied the game, and the Tritons took a 4-3 lead on a goal from Alexis Wieseler. Tiedenmann tallied before halftime to tie the score at 4-4 at the break.
In the third, the Tigers scored the first two goals, both by Szmodics, for a 6-4 lead, but the Tritons clamped down defensively and held the Tigers scoreless for the last 14:21. Sasson and Chanel Schilling tied the game for the Tritons, and Wieseler's third gave UCSD the lead for good.
Hollinrake recorded eight saves in goal, while Courtney Miller made six in the cage for UCSD. The Tritons improved to 8-6 overall.
Pacific will be back in action March 19-20 at the Arizona State Tournament III, facing Pomona-Pitzer, Marist, Michigan and Arizona State.
