Locals on NCAA finalists

LOS ALAMITOS — UCLA, which includes a trio of former Back Bay high school standouts, defeated Stanford, 5-4, Sunday, in the final of the NCAA women’s water polo championship at the Joint Forces Training Base.

Sophomores Anne Belden (Newport Harbor High), Brittany Fullen (Corona del Mar) and Jenna Murphy (Newport Harbor), are all on the roster for the Bruins, who claimed the school’s third straight water polo crown, its record 100th NCAA title in all sports.

Christina Hewko, a former CdM standout, started at two-meters for the Cardinal, which was ranked No. 1 most of the season and finished 27-3.

Hewko, who scored a goal in the Cardinal’s 12-4 semifinal victory over San Diego State, was named first-team all-tournament.

Hewko scored 37 goals in the regular season, third most on the team, to gain first-team All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation honors.

Belden, Murphy and Fullen, all reserves, contributed to the Bruins’ 28-2 record this season.

Belden, who made the MPSF All-Freshman Team last season, was second on the team with 21 assists in the regular season. She also scored 24 goals in 14 regular-season games.

Postseason statistics were unavailable.

Murphy, a redshirt junior, had eight goals and 14 assists in the regular season.

Fullen, a goalkeeper, had 42 saves and seven assists during the regular season. She helped UCLA lead the nation in goals-against average.