National Collegiate Athletic Association

NCAA News Archive - 2010

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Mar 3, 2010 8:12:56 AM

After four regulation periods and eight overtimes, UCLA defeated California in the longest NCAA women's water polo match in history. The final score in the February 28 game was 7-6. The win gave UCLA third place in the UC Irvine Invitational.

UCLA's KK Clark scored the winning goal for the Bruins with 1:07 remaining in the eighth overtime period (the sixth sudden death overtime period). The actual playing time of the game was 54 minutes, 53 seconds.

Water polo matches have four eight-minute periods, followed by two three-minute standard overtime periods if the score is tied at the end of regulation. Both overtime periods must be played. If the score is still tied at the end of the two standard overtime periods, the match goes to three-minute sudden death overtime periods until someone scores.

The game began at 4 p.m. and ended at 5:59. Most regulation water polo matches last about an hour.

The teams went into overtime tied at 5, and both teams scored in regular overtime to send the game into sudden death. Both teams were held scoreless in the first five overtimes before Clark's goal gave the Bruins the win.