This post was updated Feb. 3 at 9:35 p.m.

In Greek mythology, Triton was the son of Poseidon, the god of the sea.

But in 2026, the Bruins might rule the water after conquering the likes of Tritons, Trojans and Titans.

No. 3 UCLA women’s water polo (6-0) beat No. 2 USC (8-1) 12-9 on Sunday to win the Triton Invitational hosted by UC San Diego in La Jolla. UCLA began the tournament by besting Cal State Fullerton (6-4) 22-4 on Friday morning, before overcoming No. 6 Arizona State (8-1) 15-8 and No. 5 Hawai’i (5-2) 14-5 in the semifinal on Saturday.

The tournament victory marks a full-circle moment since the Bruins fell to their crosstown rivals in the invitational’s championship match in 2025 – their first defeat in more than a year following an undefeated 2024 campaign.

“We knew that if we did what we were supposed to do, we’d probably see USC on Sunday, and that’s the game we wanted to be in,” said interim co-head coach Jason Falitz. “Then we were going to find out who we want to be as a group, and they responded. I’m really happy with the outcome. We still have a ton of stuff to work on, and, hopefully, the group understands where they can go, but this is just the start for us.”

The Bruins opened weekend competition against the Titans en route to their highest scoring game of the year, spearheaded by a collective effort in which 12 players saw the back of the net – three of whom scored at least a hat trick. Redshirt sophomore attacker Dania Innis led the way with four goals – her most since March 2024 and one shy of tying her career high.

But UCLA’s offense is defined by its depth, with each tournament affair observing at least six Bruins scoring.

“Nobody on this team cares who’s scoring the goals,” Falitz said. “It’s all about putting ourselves in a position to have great opportunities, and every player has to be ready to step up. … It comes down to everybody being ready for their moment and understanding that the longer we can make teams play defense, we’re going to have a good situation. It doesn’t matter which player is there – you just have to have the confidence to step up.”

Senior attacker Taylor Smith headlined much of UCLA’s success throughout the weekend, securing a career-high six goals against ASU before pouring in another five in the championship match. The Newport Harbor, California, local has clinched 22 goals through her first six matches, more than double her goals-per-game mark from last season.

Falitz has praised Smith as one of the country’s best attackers, adding that she has grown in her decision-making and patience with the ball. Throughout the tournament, her gravity as an offensive threat drew defenders outside, from which Smith could make plays by passing to the center and acting on quick reads, creating opportunities for other teammates.

Smith said UCLA’s centers such as senior Bia Mantellato – who contributed nine goals throughout the tournament, including four against Hawai’i – force opposing defenses into playing zones that set up good looks on the exterior.

“We have players who can do everything,” Smith said. “The shots aren’t there unless someone drives through and we work for each other. A shot is way easier when someone sets it up right and passes it to their teammate, making the extra pass, doing the little details and the extra work, especially communicating.”

However, the hallmark of the Westwood brand is defensive communication.

The Bruins began the invitational by shutting out the Titans in the first quarter and allowing four total goals – their fewest on the year. However, after a quarterfinal game that saw UCLA down by one in the first quarter, Falitz attributed the Bruins’ timid play to some of their struggles, stressing the importance of talking.

While the squad seemed to improve against USC, UCLA made crucial mistakes in its attack, shooting too hastily instead of getting set up in the half-court, allowing the crosstown rivals to get out on the counterattack and control the pace of the game.

Even after the Bruins held a 6-1 lead at halftime of the final match, the Trojans gained momentum with a three-goal third quarter to cut the lead to four entering the concluding stanza.

Despite the Trojan resurgence, the Bruins mustered just enough traction between Smith’s offensive quintet – alongside a pair of scores from Mantellato and freshman attacker Katherine O’Dea – to quell a comeback.

Junior goalkeeper Lauren Steele anchored the cage for the entire match, posting 13 saves and making key stops to secure a UCLA tournament victory. The 2024 ACWPC National Player of the Year has opened 2026 with 62 saves.

“These girls are my best friends, so it’s amazing to play with them,” Steele said. “The communication and the connection that we have go a long way for a goalie. For me to be able to trust them to take their shot blocks, and I can take my angles, it’s really special.”