Anna Pearson, take a bow! The UCLA Bruins stared down a potential second loss of the season, trailing UC Irvine with just under eight minutes remaining. But Pearson, the junior utility, wasn't about to let that happen. Back-to-back goals in a mere 23 seconds turned the tide, propelling No. 3 UCLA (8-1, 1-0 MPSF) to a nail-biting 16-15 victory over No. 6 UC Irvine (3-5) at the Anteater Aquatic Complex.
"I was just thinking about all the hard work that we put in every single day," Pearson said. "Knowing that I can fall back on that to kind of help us finish the game on top, and just trusting in my teammates.”
The Bruins' start was anything but smooth. Despite Emma Lineback's early goal, turnovers and an exclusion penalty plagued UCLA. UC Irvine capitalized, building a commanding 7-4 lead by the end of the first quarter.
"I can’t remember last time we gave seven balls in the first quarter," coach Adam Wright admitted. "It wasn’t good, but at the same time, we saw a lot of good individual performances come out over the course of the next three quarters.”
The Anteaters continued to apply pressure in the second quarter. Even a goalie change, with Joey Niz replacing Lauren Steele, couldn't immediately stop the bleeding. However, Pearson's penalty goal and Lineback's buzzer-beater brought UCLA within striking distance at halftime.
"We didn’t come out as strong as we could, and we knew that right after the first half, it was really important for us to move on from the mistakes that we made, keep pushing forward," Niz said. "We were reminding ourselves that the game’s not over till the very end.”
Pearson struck again in the third, tying the game on a power play. The Bruins fought their way back, narrowing the deficit to one heading into the final quarter. The teams traded blows throughout the fourth, until Pearson's heroics gave UCLA the lead, and Bia Mantellato sealed the deal with a penalty shot.
Niz was a game-changer in goal, racking up 12 saves and holding UC Irvine to just two fourth-quarter goals. "To throw Joey in there in the second quarter, and for her to do what she did, was really great," Wright praised. "It means that we have depth.”
This game was a stark contrast to UCLA's dominant 17-7 victory over UC Irvine earlier this month. This time, it was a gritty, come-from-behind win.
Next up for the Bruins: the Barbara Kalbus Invitational, also in Irvine, starting Friday.
As the season approaches its midway point, Pearson emphasized the importance of mental fortitude. "I think we all had to come together and figure out a way how to get the job done," Pearson said. "It wasn’t pretty, but we got it done, so I think that says a lot about our group.”
