No. 1 UCLA Takes Out the Two-Time Defending Champions, Stanford, 10-8

BERKELEY, Calif. -- Top-ranked UCLA (25-0) took down the two-time defending NCAA Champion, fourth-seeded Stanford, 10-8 on Saturday afternoon at California's Spieker Aquatics Complex. With the win, UCLA improved to 40-60 all-time against the Cardinal, with a 3-0 clean sweep in 2024.

UCLA had a total of six different players score in the contest, paced by a hat trick from freshman Panni Szegedi. Senior Malia Allen and sophomore Genoa Rossi each scored twice for the Bruins. Junior Molly Renner (one goal and two assists) and Allen (added an assist) tied Szegedi for team-high scoring honors with three points.

Steele got the start in the cage and went the distance, tallying 12 saves and three steals while allowing eight goals.

The Bruins won the first quarter, 2-1. Szegedi scored the opening goal, converting a penalty shot that was drawn by graduate student Brooke Doten (4:39). After a goal by the Cardinal (3:51), freshman Becca Melanson ended the scoring (0:53) in the second period to give the Bruins the lead.

Stanford won the second period, 3-2, to knot the game at 4-4 at the break. Allen scored off a feed from Renner (6:16) to make it 3-1 Bruins. After a power play goal by Stanford (3:02), Allen scored her second straight on a power play (1:39) to push the lead to 4-2. The Cardinal scored the final two goals of the first half (1:23 and 0:44).

UCLA took control of the game in the third period, winning it 4-2, to take an 8-6 lead into the final stanza. Renner scored a power play goal (6:48) to put UCLA back in front. Then Rossi scored a power play goal (3:25) and Szegedi scored from distance (2:24) to put UCLA up 7-4. But Stanford answered with back-to-back goals (2:10 and 1:32) to trim the Bruins' lead to 7-6. Rossi would provide the Bruins with some momentum heading into the fourth, scoring her second goal to end the scoring in the third (1:11) with a strike from the front court.

The two teams played to a 2-2 draw in the fourth period to provide the 10-8 final. Smith would score the eventual game-winning goal (4:48) on a power play off a feed from graduate student Hannah Palmer to push the lead to 9-6. The Bruins would enjoy their largest lead of the game at 10-6 after Szegedi converted a penalty that was drawn by sophomore Anna Pearson (3:40), completing her hat trick in the process. With the Bruins looking to cede possessions the rest of the way, Stanford managed to score twice in the final minutes (1:49 and 0:01), but the outcome was never in doubt.

UP NEXT: The Bruins will play for their eighth NCAA Championship in women's water polo at No. 3 California at 7:00 p.m. PT on ESPN. The Golden Bears defeated No. 2 Hawai'i in the other semifinal, 9-6. California has never won an NCAA Championship in women's water polo.

No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 4 Stanford (NCAA Championship - Semifinals - Game 25)

6x5 - UCLA - 4/7 - STAN - 2/3
Penalties - UCLA - 2/2 - STAN - 0/0

STAN Goals: Kamryn Barone 4, Sophia Sanders 2, Christina Hicks 1, Quinn Healy 1
STAN Saves: Maya Avital 5

UCLA Goals: Panni Szegedi 3, Malia Allen 2, Genoa Rossi 2, Taylor Smith 1, Becca Melanson 1, Molly Renner 1
UCLA Saves: Lauren Steele 12