By Anfisa Pitchkhadze – Spear Reporter Sophomore driver Jennine Osorio holds up the ball in a matchup against SDSU on Feb. 9 (Photo by Abby Westrope)
On Saturday afternoon, No. 18 San Jose State women’s water polo (11-8, 0-2 MPSF) hosted No. 4 UCLA (16-3, 4-0 MPSF) falling to the Bruins, 19-6.
SJSU struck first with a goal from sophomore Rose Jensen with 4:33 left in the first and later followed by a goal from driver Jennine Osorio two minutes later retaking the lead, 2-1.
The Spartans kept pace with the Bruins in the first quarter, with the score tied at 2-2 as both teams put on a defensive performance by creating steals and blocks.
SJSU continued to put up a fight shortly with the Bruins in the second with driver Darcy Spark scoring on a 6-on-5 situation to keep the Spartans down only one at 5-4 with 2:41 remaining, but UCLA ended up extending the lead, 9-4 to end the first half.
“I think the fact that we were able to keep that close for the first half, I think speaks a lot to their resiliency in the sense that we’re going against an elite program, but we’re not backing down,” SJSU head coach Beth Harberts said.
The Bruins offense would continue to be a struggle for SJSU to contain as the team was outscored 12-2 in the second half.
Harberts described the challenges the Spartans faced in the third and fourth quarter against UCLA’s powered offense.
“When they go into the double post offensive formation, they’re kind of having those two center players that are open and so we’re really trying to work that zone,” Harberts said. “There are times that we were quick to stop that outside shooter, but it kind of allowed that live entry into the set, and so they were able to kind of get some power plays.”
UCLA made 53% on their goal attempts going 19/36 on conversions compared to San Jose’s 6/18, shooting 33%. The Bruins also went 67% on power play conversions while the Spartans shot 40%.
Sophomores Isabella Williams and Osorio would be the two Spartans to score the team’s only two goals in the second half.
With the regular season coming to an end, Harberts is proud of the team putting up a fight and defeating several nationally ranked teams while also praising her young players.
“We have a lot of underclassmen that are going out there and doing a lot of work for our program,” Harberts said. “They’re also leaning on that leadership of our upperclassmen as we’re going out and having these games.”
The Spartans will next host Harvard on March 21 at 1 p.m. at the SRAC for their final game of the regular season and to honor seniors Gracie Smith and Renee Fleming.
