The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) women’s water polo team will face No. 11 Harvard at Spieker Aquatics Center on Saturday, March 21, with play scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. PT. The Bruins, currently ranked second nationally and holding a 15-2 record, are coming off three wins in four days against top-20 opponents Fresno State, Princeton, and San Jose State. Harvard enters the contest with a strong 23-1 record and a 12-game winning streak.
This matchup is part of UCLA’s stretch of nine consecutive home games and offers fans free admission. Live video coverage will be available through Overnght and live scoring provided by 6-8 Sports for all games at Spieker Aquatics Center.
In their recent outings, the Bruins demonstrated resilience by overcoming an early deficit against Princeton before securing decisive victories over San Jose State and Fresno State. Redshirt senior Emma Lineback recorded her first three hat tricks of the season during this period, contributing nine goals on twelve shots along with eight assists and a steal.
Senior Taylor Smith has set a new single-season career high for goals just thirteen games into her campaign, leading the team with fifty goals in seventeen games. Smith has scored in all but one game this season and was recognized as MPSF Player of the Week following standout performances at the Barbara Kalbus Invitational.
The Bruins’ roster features six returning All-Americans from last season as well as several key transfers and freshmen expected to make an impact this year. Coaching changes have also taken place for the current season: Jason Falitz and Matt Kubeck have been named interim co-head coaches following Adam Wright’s departure from day-to-day operations. Ryann Neushul joins as assistant coach after a decorated collegiate career at Stanford.
Last season, UCLA finished with an overall record of 20-6 and entered the MPSF Championship Tournament as the No. 1 seed for the second consecutive year but fell short in both conference and NCAA tournaments.
