LOS ANGELES - The ninth ranked University of Hawai`i women's water polo team dropped a hard fought Mountain Pacific Sports Federation match today at No. 1 UCLA, 13-8.

The game opened quickly for the Rainbow Wahine on a goal by Anna Sieprath/ after 19 seconds of play. There was little action until Gabrielle Domanic tied the game on a Bruin goal. With a minute left in the first quarter, Natalie Golda tossed in the first of her three goals to give the Bruins a 2-1 edge. In the first quarter, there were four Bruin ejections, giving Hawai`i many opportunities and shots on goal. UCLA Goalie Emily Feher stopped four UH shots in the first. The second quarter also was very close. Iefke Van Belkem scored in the first minute of the second quarter to tie the game. Golda scored again immediately after, followed by a goal by Thalia Munro, to put the Bruins ahead 4-2, but Monika Kruszona and Beth Novick each scored to tie the game once again. Kelly Rulon responded with a goal to give the Bruins a lead that they would hold for the rest of the game. The score at the half was 6-4.

The third and fourth quarters were also very physical. There were 13 ejections total and two four-meter penalty shots against UCLA, in which Hawai`i converted both. In the third, scoring went back and fourth. Brittany Dames and Van Belkum scored for Hawai`i. Kacy Kunkel, Brittany Rowe, and Natalie Golda made Bruin goals in the third. At the end of the quarter, UCLA led 9-6. In the fourth quarter, Kelly Rulon dominated the game. She scored three times to help UCLA hold off the Wahine. Both four-meter penalty shots were in the fourth. Shannon Carroll of the Rainbow Wahine received a yellow card with four minutes left. Kristina Kunkel also scored four the Bruins to keep Hawaii from coming back.

For the game, there were 21 ejections (10 on UCLA and 11 on Hawai`i), two four-meter penalty shots, and one yellow card. Rulon led Bruin scorers with four goals. Golda had three and Kristina Kunkel added two. Gabrielle Domanic, Kacy Kunkel, Thalia Munro, and Brittany Rowe each had one. UCLA goalkeeper Feher had 11 saves. For UH, Van Belkum led the team with three goals. Kruszona had two. Dames, Novick, and Sieprath had one goal each. Hawai`i goalkeeper Meike De Nooy had three saves.

Hawai`i stays in Southern California to participate in the Gaucho Invitational beginning Friday, February 25th. They face Cal State Northridge, which will also be counted as both in the tournament and a MPSF match.

UCLA vs. Hawai`i 2/24/05
1 2 3 4 F
Hawai`i 1 3 2 2 8
UCLA 2 4 3 4 13

UCLA Goals: Kelly Rulon 4, Natalie Golda 3, Kristina Kunkel 2, Gabrielle Domanic, Thalia Munro, Kacy Kunkel, Brittany Rowe
UCLA Saves: Emily Feher 8
Hawai`i Goals: Iefke Van Belkum 3, Monika Kruszona 2, Brittany Dames, Beth Novick
Hawai`i Saves Meike De Nooy 3