BELGRADE, Serbia – Three University of Hawai'i water polo players have helped the Canadian women's water polo team reach the semifinals of the FISU World University Games, beating Australia 10-8 in the quarterfinals.

 

Saara Majuri and Monika Eggens, each scored three goals, leading to Canada's victory. Serena Bredin, earned the win in goal.

 

Majuri and Bredin enter their junior years next season at UH, while Eggens will be a sophomore.

The win vaults Canada into the final four at the first-ever Universiade women's water polo tournament, joining Hungary, China, and Russia. Hungary faces Russia while the Canadians take on the Chinese in semifinal action on Thursday.

”We had a rough time in the beginning of the tournament, but today everybody just got pumped up and it finally came together,” Majuri said.

Majuri's hat trick goal midway through the second quarter put Canada ahead for good at 6-5, and they took that one-goal advantage into the halftime break.

Majuri made a key shot block as the seconds ticked away and Canadian goalkeeper Serena Bredin made a couple of key saves late to preserve the victory.

Bredin stopped seven of the 15 shots fired her way from the Aussies, while her counterparts in green and gold, Victoria Brown and Lea Barta, allowed eight and two goals, respectively.

The Summer Universiade is an international multi-sport event that takes place every two years, and is second only to the Olympic Games in the number of participating athletes and countries. The Universiade is open to competitors between the ages of 17 and 28 in the year of the Games who are full-time students at a post-secondary institution (university, college, CEGEP) or have graduated from a post-secondary institution in the year preceding the event.