LONG BEACH, Calif. — No. 3 seed UC Davis used a powerful final period to come away with a 16-4 quarterfinal victory over sixth-seeded CSUN from the Ken Lindgren Aquatics Center at the 2026 Big West Women's Water Polo Championship on Friday afternoon.

The 15th-ranked Aggies improve to 15-12 on the year and advance to take on second-seeded hosts Long Beach State on Saturday at 4 p.m. in the semifinals. Meanwhile, No. 23 CSUN caps the season at 17-9. 

Both teams displayed competitive performances, but UC Davis's strong offensive efforts were particularly evident in the fourth quarter, where they scored eight goals, accounting for half their offense in the final frame. The Aggies capitalized on power plays and penalty shots, netting three goals in each category.

The contest began with CSUN's Mira Dravucz scoring early in the first quarter. UC Davis quickly responded with a goal by Madison Sparre, assisted by Margo Tempel. Gianna Nocetti added two consecutive penalty goals for the Aggies. A brief rally from the Matadors ensued, with Mackenzie Wood scoring in succession to even the score at three apiece. However, UC Davis got back on top to lead 5-3 at the midpoint, and the Aggies never looked back. The fourth quarter saw the Aggies dominate, with Liberty Massman and Ali Giusti each contributing two goals. UC Davis converted three power plays and three penalty shots, while the Matadors struggled to find the net, converting only one penalty shot.

For UC Davis, Nocetti emerged as a key player, contributing significantly with two goals, an assist, leading in steals with three, and excelling in sprint wins, securing four victories. Sparre matched Nocetti's goal tally while adding an assist. Giusti also made a strong impact, recording two goals on two shots. Chelsea Johnson led the team in scoring with three goals and added two steals. In goal, Eva Stein provided a solid defensive backbone with seven saves.

Wood stood out for the Matadors with two goals and an assist on four shots. Erika Staine made a significant impact defensively as the goalkeeper, recording six saves. Sofia Martinez was active on the field, taking a team-high seven shots and drawing two exclusions in the season finale for CSUN.