2026 Big West Women's Water Polo Championship Quarterfinals - No. 4 seed UC Irvine 22, No. 5 seed UC San Diego 14

Box score | UCI presser
LONG BEACH, Calif. — Tying the Championship scoring record, No. 4 seed UC Irvine overwhelmed fifth-seeded UC San Diego 22-14 in the quarterfinal round of the 2026 Big West Women's Water Polo Championship at the Ken Lindgren Aquatics Center on Friday afternoon.

The Anteaters' 22 goals match the benchmark set last season by Long Beach State as ninth-ranked UCI improves to 13-13 on the year and advances to take on top-seeded Hawai'i in Saturday's 2 o'clock semifinal match.

UC Irvine took command early with a 7-2 lead in the first quarter and maintained their momentum, scoring eight more goals in the second quarter to lead 15-6 at the halftime break. Both teams capitalized on power play opportunities, with UC Irvine scoring five goals in such situations.

UCI opened the game with a strong offensive performance, scoring three consecutive goals within the first two minutes, with Michelle Urkov, Sara Naulty, and Mary Hassett each finding the net. UCSD responded with goals from Caitlin Stayt and Sofia Munatones, but the Anteaters utilized scoring from multiple sources to maintain the decisive lead including a pair from Madi O'Hara.

The third quarter saw UC Irvine maintaining control, adding four more goals, including two from Deirdre Murphy, while UC San Diego scored twice. In the final frame, UCDS attempted a comeback with five goals, including two from Emily Cloherty, but UCI's lead was too much to overcome.

For the Anteaters, O'Hara led the team with a notable three goals. Urkov also contributed significantly, matching O'Hara's scoring output with three goals and adding an assist. Lauren Hett and Hassett each scored two goals. Chloe Patist was instrumental in setting up plays, leading the team with three assists.

For the Tritons, Sofia Munatones led with a standout performance, contributing four goals and two assists. Cloherty scored three goals and drew three exclusions. Stayt matched this scoring output with three goals with Sydney Munatones playing a versatile role, leading with three assists and winning two sprints. In goal, Bria Zwaschka recorded seven saves to anchor the defense.

UCSD closes the season with a record of 11-13, ranked No. 16 in the latest CWPA poll.