No. 16 UCSD Women's Water Polo Falls to No. 15 Harvard in Aztec Invite Opener

Despite a competitive first half, the Tritons were unable to keep pace with Harvard's offensive surge in the final two quarters.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 6:40pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting the dynamic movements and energy of a women's water polo game, with overlapping planes of blue, green, and white representing the water and players.A cubist interpretation of the intense action and competitive spirit of a high-stakes women's water polo matchup.San Diego Today

In their opening game of the 2026 Aztec Invite, the UC San Diego women's water polo team (10-11, 2-4 Big West) fell 12-6 to Harvard (23-2, 4-1 CWPA) at Canyonview Aquatic Center. The Tritons kept the game close in the first half, but were ultimately overpowered by Harvard's offensive onslaught in the second half.

Why it matters

This loss to a highly ranked Harvard squad is an early setback for the 16th-ranked Tritons, who are looking to build momentum heading into the later stages of the season and the Big West Conference tournament. The game also provided an opportunity for UCSD to measure itself against one of the top teams in the country.

The details

The Tritons struggled to find their rhythm in the opening quarter, with Harvard scoring the lone goal of the period. Harvard extended its lead to 5-1 in the second quarter, but UCSD responded with two late goals from junior attacker Abigail Schechter to make it 5-2 at halftime. The Tritons cut the deficit to 6-4 in the third quarter with goals from junior attacker Emily Cloherty, but Harvard pulled away with a dominant finish, outscoring UCSD 6-2 in the final two quarters.

  • The game took place on March 14, 2026 at the Canyonview Aquatic Center in San Diego, California.
  • The Tritons went on to win their next two games of the tournament against No. 9 Indiana and No. 18 San Jose State.

The players

UC San Diego Women's Water Polo Team

The UC San Diego women's water polo team, ranked 16th in the nation, has a 10-11 overall record and a 2-4 mark in Big West Conference play.

Harvard Women's Water Polo Team

The Harvard women's water polo team, ranked 15th in the nation, has a 23-2 overall record and a 4-1 mark in Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) play.

Abigail Schechter

A junior attacker for the UC San Diego women's water polo team, Schechter scored two goals in the loss to Harvard.

Emily Cloherty

A junior attacker for the UC San Diego women's water polo team, Cloherty scored two goals in the third quarter to bring the Tritons within striking distance of Harvard.

Bria Zwaschka

The senior goalkeeper for the UC San Diego women's water polo team, Zwaschka made several key saves to keep the Tritons in the game.

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What they’re saying

“If we want to win games like this, we have to be tough mentally and physically. So, moving forward, we need to find out what that looks like for this team in particular.”

— Sarah Lizotte, Head Coach, UC San Diego Women's Water Polo

What’s next

The Tritons will face hometown rival San Diego State in the annual Harper Cup at Aztec Aquaplex on Thursday before playing UC Santa Barbara for their final Big West regular-season game on Saturday in Goleta.

The takeaway

This loss to a highly ranked Harvard squad is an early setback for the 16th-ranked Tritons, who will need to regroup and find their mental and physical toughness if they want to compete with the top teams in the country and make a deep run in the postseason.