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vs. McKendree
1/24/2026 | 10:15 AM
Jan. 24 (Sat) / 10:15 AM
vs. McKendree
LA JOLLA, Calif. – Opening day saw the No. 13 UC San Diego women’s water polo team go 2-0 with victories over No. 24 Pomona-Pitzer and Azusa Pacific Saturday at Haldeman Pool in the Inland Empire.
The Tritons nipped the Sagehens 14-13 and took a commanding 18-10 decision against the Cougars.
Emily Cloherty led the offensive charge with a team-high six goals on the day, while Abigail Schechter and freshman Berkley Sinner found the back of the net five times each. Cloherty added an assist and Schechter had two helpers as each finished with seven points on the day.
A total of 10 Tritons accumulated multiple points over the two games.
The wins were the first for head coach Sarah Lizotte, who took over the reigns of the program in August of 2025.
HOW IT HAPPENED AGAINST POMONA-PITZER
UC San Diego staved off a six-goal fourth quarter by the Sagehens to preserve the victory.
Evelyn Burns scored on a power play with 3:21 left in the final frame to put UC San Diego up 14-11. Her goal stood as the game-winner despite the Sagehens scoring two more times in the last three minutes of the game.
UC San Diego never trailed and there were just two tie scores, coming at 1-1 and 4-4. The largest lead for the Tritons was five when freshman Anna Fazioli scored her first career goal at the 7:36 mark of the fourth stanza to make the score 12-7 in favor of UC San Diego.
The Tritons got goals from nine different players. Cloherty recorded a hat trick, while Burns, Sinner, and Caitlin Stayt all scored twice. Five others had single goals.
Bria Zwaschka made eight saves in net for UC San Diego. She turned aside two five-meter penalty shots.
Mia Amberger led the Sagehens with six points on five goals and an assist. Isabella Doba and Vivienne Wood combined to make three saves.
Pomona-Pitzer held a 29-28 advantage in shots. Seven of the Sagehen goals came on the power play.
HOW IT HAPPENED AGAINST AZUSA PACIFIC
Tied 3-3 with 2:15 left in the opening quarter, UC San Diego scored four consecutive times and led 7-3 with 6:13 on the clock in the second frame.
The Tritons went on to win all four quarters, including a 6-3 advantage in the second and a 5-2 edge in the third. They held a 35-25 lead in shots and scored five times on penalty shots.
Schechter netted four goals while Cloherty, Sinner, and Cascade Stensland all recorded hat tricks. Zwaschka racked up eight saves in another complete game effort.
Audrey Dexter and Jessie Nelson each scored three goals for the Cougars. Daniela Herrero Miralles and Avery Reyes combined for 10 saves.
FROM HEAD COACH SARAH LIZOTTE
“Starting the season 2-0 is a great step for us, especially with so many new faces and athletes stepping into new roles. Today’s close match against Pomona-Pitzer showed both our growth and the areas we’ll continue to build on. This group is learning quickly, competing with heart and I’m proud of the effort and progress we’re making early on.”
TRITON TIDBITS
• Three Triton freshmen scored their first career goals today including Anna Fazioli, Berkley Sinner, and Caitlin Stayt.
• UC San Diego has won 11 straight games against Pomona-Pitzer.
• The Tritons are 8-0 against Azusa Pacific since 2012.
UP NEXT
UC San Diego travels to Arizona to play in Arizona State’s Malmsten Invitational, which runs Jan. 24-25 at the Mona Plummer Aquatic Center. The Tritons take on McKendree and California Baptist Saturday and the host Sun Devils Sunday.
About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program began a new era in 2020 as a member of The Big West in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 84 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have earned prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world’s preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions.