ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The University of California, Merced women's water polo team battled but came up short on day one of the Michigan Invitational, losing 11-7 to University of Toronto and 19-5 to Bucknell.
The Bobcats (2-16) will play two more matches in Ann Arbor on Sunday.
Melanie Torres registered a hat trick against Toronto and scored twice against NCAA Division One opponent Bucknell. Liberty Hamilton scored two goals in each match.
Game One University of Toronto 11, UC Merced 7
Along with Torres and Hamilton's multi-goal performances, Aislyn Sorsky and Piper Ferris also added to the offense with a goal each. Stokes highlighted the defense recording 12 saves for her tenth double-figure save performance of the campaign.
Torres was the Bobcats first goal scorer and her goal at the 4:42 mark of the first quarter tied the game at one. However, the Varsity Blues responded by scoring two unanswered and they remained in front the rest of the match.
A Ferris goal towards the end of the first quarter and then a successful Hamilton penalty shot early in the second frame kept the Bobcats within a goal, trailing 4-3. Although UC Merced didn't score again in the first half, the Bobcats only allowed one more and it was a 5-3 deficit at intermission.
Toronto scored just two goals in the third quarter, coming on their first possession and last possession. Sorsky also scored for the Bobcats in the final minute of the third quarter to keep the Bobcats within striking distance.
Both teams traded a pair of unanswered goals to start the fourth. U of T struck first to extend their lead to 9-4 before Hamilton and Torres both deposited a shot into the back of the net to bring the Bobcats back within three with 4:27 to go.
However, Toronto scored back-to-back again and their advantage was back at five goals, 11-6 inside of three minutes. Torres completed her hat trick at the 2:53 mark. Both teams were scoreless up to the buzzer resulting in the 11-7 Varsity Blues win.
Game Two Bucknell 19, UC Merced 5
Torres and Hamilton scored two goals each, while Stokes added one from the cage.
Bucknell's Campbell Collins, Caitlin Stott, and Regan Coon each recorded four goals to lead Bucknell's 19-goal outing. The trio combined for seven goals before halftime leading to a 13-2 advantage at intermission.
Bucknell scored the game's first ten goals before Torres stopped the Bobcats scoring drought with a penalty shot early in the second quarter. Hamilton scored a goal shortly after to round out the Bobcats first half scoring.
Stokes scored next for the Bobcats, beating the third quarter buzzer while wearing the goalkeeper cap. Bucknell scored three times in the frame to take a 16-3 lead into the fourth.
The Bison outscored the Bobcats 3-2 in the final frame. For the Bobcats, Hamilton scored at the 7:07 mark and Torres found the back of the net once more with 1:49 to play. Torres' score was also the games final goal.
Stokes tallied eight saves in the cage for the Bobcats.
Up next, UC Merced will play Saint Francis University and #9 University of Michigan on Sunday, March 24. The Bobcats first match of the day against Saint Francis will start at 7:30am PST.
