No. 11 Women’s Water Polo Falls To No. 4 UCLA

Thursday, March 13

Los Angeles, Calif.

4:00 PM ET/1:00 PM PT

Princeton University

#4 UCLA

Emese Batizi

Photo by: Josh Barber

March 13, 2025 | Women's Water Polo

LOS ANGELES, Calif.- The Princeton women's water polo team matched up against the defending NCAA champions, the No. 4 UCLA Bruins on Thursday afternoon. In the back and forth contest, the Tigers were unable to overcome the Bruins as Princeton fell to UCLA 9-7.

UCLA got on the board first, capitalizing on a Princeton turnover. Shanna Davidson helped the Tigers respond quickly, drawing the exclusion to give Princeton the offensive advantage. Davidson then found the back of the cage off the Rachael Carver assist.

The Bruins tacked on two, but Kayla Yelensky was able to convert a penalty shot to cut the lead to one.

The time in the second quarter ticked away as Yelensky was finally able to score and tie things up four minutes before the halftime break.

Again, UCLA was able to answer with two quick goals and pushed the score to 5-3.

Lindsay Lucas made a key block for the Tigers with under two to play in the quarter, and Charlotte Riches scored the goal on the counterattack.

Coming out of halftime, Emese Batizi won the sprint and Carver quickly scored to knot the score at 5-5.

Following two missed shots from the Princeton offense, Ava Houlahan was able to score and give the Tigers its first lead of the game.

Princeton kept UCLA at bay for the first five minutes of the third, but the Bruins were able to grab three goals in the final minutes of the quarter.

Each team added one goal in the fourth, but the two goal lead was too much for Princeton to overcome.

Yelensky led the scoring efforts with a hat trick in the contest and Lucas made 12 saves in the cage.

The Tigers will head to San Diego for the San Diego State Invite. Princeton's first two games will be against No. 2 USC and No. 20 San Diego State.

Goals: Yelensky (3), Carver, Davidson, Houlahan, Riches
Saves: Lucas (12)