Joustra's Six Goals Lead No. 4 Bears Past Indiana

TEMPE, Arizona – Junior center Kitty Lynn Joustra scored a career-high six goals and sophomore Cecily Turner registered a clinching score with 38 seconds remaining to lead the No. 4 Cal women's water polo team to a 13-11 defeat of No. 14 Indiana in the Fifth Place Game of the MPSF Championships on Sunday.

Junior Elli Protopapas also added a hat trick with three goals for the Bears (12-7) while freshman Maddie DeMattia scored twice. Senior Claire Sonne had a pair of assists.

Joustra's offensive output was the most goals scored by a Cal player since Emma Wright tallied seven against San Jose State in the first round of the 2019 MPSF Championships. It's also just the 17th time in program history a Golden Bear has scored at least six goals in a game.

The Bears never trailed Sunday but could never completely shake the Hoosiers. Cal opened up a 6-3 lead early in the second quarter only to see Indiana record three goals in a row to tie the game with 2:52 left before halftime. It was 7-7 at the intermission.

Joustra scored the first two goals of the third quarter and followed with another after the Hoosiers had cut it to 9-8. Back-to-back goals by senior Brigit Mulder and Joustra gave the Bears a 12-9 lead with 3:05 to play. Indiana answered with consecutive goals of its own to make it 12-11 with 1:10 left, but Turner rifled in a shot as the play clock was winding down to put the game away.

DeMattia, the reigning MPSF Newcomer of the Week, also made two steals while fellow freshman Maryn Dempsey had an assist. Senior goalie Cassidy Ball made six saves.

The Bears will now wait to hear their NCAA Championships fate. The NCAA Women's Water Polo Selection Show airs Monday at 5 p.m. PT on NCAA.com.