In an electrifying game that saw momentum shift repeatedly, No. 12 UC San Diego women’s water polo (5-4, 0-0 Big West) edged No. 14 UC Davis (5-5, 0-0 Big West) in the final seconds to capture a dramatic 12-11 win on Friday. From the first sprint to the last-second winner, the contest was a thrilling showcase of what’s to come this season from a young Triton team.
Davis opened the scoring only 20 seconds into the match, but a penalty on the Aggies only 19 seconds later saw sophomore utility player Evelyn Burns level the score 1-1.
Both teams traded goals early on, remaining deadlocked. However, tides shifted for UCSD as goals from junior attacker Abigail Schechter, junior attacker Emily Cloherty, and redshirt freshman Kenya Cassidy put the Tritons on top for the first time in the match. Senior goalkeeper Bria Zwaschka preserved the Tritons’ slim lead after an amazing diving save kept UCSD on top at the end of the first quarter.
The Tritons continued their momentum going into the second quarter, with Schechter and Cloherty both scoring their second goals of the game, increasing UCSD’s lead to 7-4. Just as it seemed on track to cruise to victory, however, the Aggies roped the Tritons back in with two goals despite two wonderful saves from Zwaschka. The Tritons maintained their lead after senior utility player Cascade Stensland got her second goal of the night, ending the first half with an 8-6 advantage.
“Finding structure and good balance is important on the offensive end, obviously, but how we do on the offensive end affects how we defend,” head coach Sarah Lizotte said to The UCSD Guardian in a postgame interview. “So finding that structure and balance on the offensive end and how we attack really translates to defense.”
UCSD’s inability to pull away from the Aggies continued in the third quarter after the Tritons failed to score in three consecutive attempts, hitting the post in two near-misses. Burns broke the defensive standoff, increasing the Tritons’ lead to three, only for Davis to respond immediately with two goals of its own. Both teams found the net late in the period to make it 10-9 going into the final quarter.
Now hanging onto a single-goal lead with only one quarter left, the Tritons had everything to play for in the closing minutes. The Aggies equalized 19 seconds into the quarter. Davis nearly took the lead two minutes into the period, but the Aggies’ shot hit the crossbar. A double block from Zwaschka and a stop from Schechter kept the Tritons level as they desperately looked to take back the lead.
In a hectic last minute that saw several shots hit the crossbar, ejections, and turnovers, the Tritons found themselves in possession with only six seconds left. After a well-placed pass from senior attacker Sofia Munatones, Cloherty put it away to seal the 12-11 win for the Tritons.
“We’re a young team,” Lizotte said to The Guardian. “It’s fun to watch, but it’s a joy to coach as well.”
With the win in hand, UCSD fell to No. 2 USC and No. 9 Loyola Marymount on the second day of the 2026 Triton Invitational on Saturday at the Canyonview Aquatic Center. The Tritons closed the tournament on Sunday with a 14-9 loss to No. 11 UC Irvine. UCSD will be back in action at home against LMU on Saturday, Feb. 7.
