CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The University of California, Merced women's water polo team fell to four NCAA Division One teams at the Harvard Invite over the weekend. UC Merced was in a 32-minute battle in the weekend finale, playing to four ties and a lead change before being downed 10-7 by LIU.

The Bobcats (1-8) fell 18-4 to Villanova, 22-6 to No. 13 Harvard, and 15-6 to Bucknell in the first three matches. Harvard marked the Bobcats first ranked opponent of the season.

Claudette Asenjo led the Bobcats with seven goals in their first ever Harvard Invite, including recording a hat trick against Villanova. She scored twice against Bucknell. With a goal each in the other two games, Asenjo extends her goal scoring streak to nine consecutive matches to start the campaign.

Kiryn Wicker combined for four goals with a two-goal game against Harvard, while Ava Faria scored twice against LIU as part of a three-goal weekend. Ten different Bobcats scored at least one goal overall.

Match One | Villanova 18, UC Merced 4

Asenjo buried a penalty shot to begin the match, but Villanova followed with a six-goal scoring run and remained in rhythm the rest of the contest. Wicker halted the run at the 4:40 mark of the second quarter and Asenjo scored on the Bobcats next possession as the Bobcats trailed 8-3 at intermission. Villanova shutout UC Merced in the third quarter and outscored the Bobcats 10-1 overall in the second half. Amelie Ramirez had five saves and four steals in the cage.

Match Two | Harvard 22, UC Merced 6

Harvard exploded with nine unanswered goals in the first quarter. Sophia Milton got the Bobcats on the board in the final minute of the period with her first career goal. Harvard followed with an 8-0 run to build an 18-2 halftime lead. Both teams scored four goals in the second half, including a goal from freshman Anna Potter. Ramirez earned the start in goal and split time with Makenzie Royal in the cage.

Match Three | Bucknell 15, UC Merced 6

Asenjo opened the match with a goal and then Wicker answered a Bucknell score with a goal of her own to put the Bobcats up 2-1 midway through the first quarter. Bucknell fought back and took their first lead at 3-2. The Bison then scored the first three goals of the second quarter to extend their advantage to 6-2. Faria broke up Bucknell's run but the Bison would lead 8-3 at intermission. Madison Marion was one of three Bobcat goal scorers in the third quarter but her squad was unable to make up any ground, trailing 12-6 at the end of the third quarter. The Bison didn't allow a fourth quarter goal on their way to a 15-6 win. Royal had six saves in the match.

Match Four | LIU 10, UC Merced 7

Asenjo scored the first goal of the match for the third time on the weekend and the two teams alternated goals throughout the first quarter, resulting in a 3-3 tie after one. Tori Valdez scored her first goal as a Bobcat in the frame. LIU found the back of the net 18 seconds into the second quarter to take a 4-3 lead. Both teams were scoreless for the next five minutes before Faria pulled the Bobcats even 4-4 with a goal at the 1:58 mark. LIU responded and led 5-4 at halftime. LIU took the first two-goal lead of the match midway through the third quarter that Makayla Hemphill answered 90 seconds later. However, LIU dented the twine twice to end the frame and carry an 8-5 lead into the final period. In the fourth quarter, Aislyn Sorsky scored at the 6:06 mark and Brey Pierce netted a goal at the 3:10 mark to pull the Bobcats within one in the closing minutes, 8-7. However, the final three minutes belonged to LIU. The Sharks doubled their lead with 2:20 left and made it a 10-7 game on the next possession. UC Merced was unable to score the rest of the way. Royal finished with a career-high 12 saves for UC Merced.

Up next, UC Merced will play four matches at the Convergence Tournament March 6-7 beginning with Redlands on Friday, March 6 at 10:15am. The Bobcats will play Redlands at Haldeman Pool on the Campus of Pomona-Pitzer in Claremont, Calif.