BERKELEY – Execution in the moment is critical.

Following a triple-overtime loss against the Cardinal on Saturday, the Bruins’ final game of the weekend Sunday posed the biggest test of them all.

And No. 3 seed UCLA women’s water polo (20-4, 4-2 MPSF) passed the test – bouncing back to take down No. 4 seed California (14-7, 3-3) 10-9 in the MPSF tournament’s third-place match at Spieker Aquatics Complex in Berkeley on Sunday afternoon. The Bruins have previously beaten the Golden Bears 19-18 in a double-overtime match Feb. 21.

“We knew it was going to come down to probably a one-stop situation,” said interim co-head coach Jason Falitz. “It’s stuff we work on in practice, being gritty to our details. At the end of the game, we were able to take our blocking responsibilities – Bia (senior center Bia Mantellato) made a good read on a pass and was able to steal the ball and end the game. So it’s huge for us to end the game on a defensive stop, and it’s just going to give us more confidence moving forward.”

The Bruins have had an inconsistent year in the pool, especially when it comes to playing well up until the final whistle in a given match.

Sunday was another example of that variability.

Although UCLA had a quick start going on a 4-1 scoring run in the first quarter, the squad seemingly struggled to settle back in during the second frame.

The Bruins found themselves on the opposite end of a 4-1 scoring run, allowing the Golden Bears to tie up the match heading into halftime. The Bruins missed seven shots in the second quarter alone, as the Golden Bears’ defense stifled shot attempts.

“Our attack today was not great across the board,” Falitz said. “We got to get a lot better moving forward, and we know what’s coming, but we have to be smarter about our decision making, how we pass the ball to each other and how we’re reading what the defense does.”

But when the Bruins made correct offensive decisions, their attacks found success. After the second lightning delay in three days at halftime, the Westwood squad found production from three separate players – junior attacker Elektra Urbatsch, senior attacker Taylor Smith and Mantellato.

Urbatsch was an offensive bright spot throughout the weekend, putting up at least three goals in every game for 10 total on a .588 shooting percentage.

But the Bruins walked away with a win because of their ability to stifle the Golden Bears’ offense.

Senior utility Genoa Rossi, who is not much of an offensive threat but is a stalwart defensive option, is at the center of the Bruins’ defensive gameplan.

“Defense is one of those things that it really is just about effort and all being on the same page,” Rossi said. “Throughout the season, we’ve worked vertical, horizontal every single day and coming out and coming back. Communicating is one of our strong parts of defense. I try to talk as loud as I can out there to help all my teammates and just be there for them.”

The Laguna Beach, California, local plays in one of the most difficult parts of the pool for any defender. Guarding some of the best centers in the nation is an unforgiving job, but she showed once again why she excels at it, helping to limit the Golden Bears to a .281 shot percentage Sunday.

Rossi is a senior leader in the pool.

But even outside the pool, she continues to impact everyone around her.

“She’s one of the people that’s the heart and soul of this team,” Falitz said. “She does so much more than just what she does in the water, whether it’s the way she trains, her positivity, her influence on the younger players on this team – she’s a pillar of this team.”

A pillar supports the load of a successful team, and Rossi’s effect goes far beyond her defensive tenacity. With 15 underclassmen making up nearly half the roster, mentorship is key as the Bruins look toward the final weekend of competition this season.

The Westwood squad may need to refine its mindset as competition fiercens. And with Rossi at the center of keeping UCLA steady, it will need to foster her energy across the next two weeks as they prepare for the NCAA tournament.

“Genoa (Rossi) is my biggest mentor,” said sophomore attacker Tali Stryker. “She is the most bubbly and happy person out in the pool. She’s the most hardworking person I’ve ever met, and she keeps a smile on her face every time. Every day, she shows up to the pool with this amazing spirit, and she just spreads it throughout the whole team.”