LONG BEACH, Calif. - The fourth ranked University of Hawai`i women's water polo team swept both of its matches today on the first day of the Long Beach State Tournament. The Rainbow Wahine defeated No. 12 Michigan in the morning and No. 17 Cal State Northridge afternoon.
Iefke Van Belkum scored both of her goals in the final 1:16 in the fourth quarter to lift the Rainbow Wahine to a 5-4 come-from-behind win over Michigan.
Van Belkum tied the game at 4-4 with a goal at 1:16 and then scored the game-winner with 41 seconds remaining. Hawai`i jumped to a 2-0 lead just three minutes into the game, but Michigan scored three consecutive goals in the final 3:14 of the first quarter to take a 3-2 lead. UH tied it with a single goal in the second, while the Wolverines recaptured the lead in the third. UH goalie Meike De Nooy came up with five huge saves.
In the afternoon, All-American Beth Novick scored three goals and Van Belkum and Monika Kruszona each added two in a 9-4 win over Cal State Northridge. Novick scored two of UH's first three goals as Hawai`i took a quick 3-0 lead in the first 3:20 of the game. After a Northridge score, UH then scored three more goals to take a commanding 6-1 lead at 4:59 in the third. UH goalie Jamie Wendell stopped a UH season-high 13 shots.
Hawai`i improves to 16-6 on the season and faces Cal State Bakersfield and Hartwick on Sunday.
Game 1 - 11:30 a.m. PT
Scoring by Quarters 1 2 3 4 Final
Hawai`i 2 1 0 2 - 5
Michigan 3 0 1 0 - 4
Goals by HAW: Iefke Van Belkum (3), Monika Kruszona, Kristy Bagnall.
HAW Goalie Saves: Meike De Nooy (5).
Goals by MICH: Shana Welch (2), Jo Antonsen, Sheetal Narsai.
MICH Goalie Saves: Betsey Armstrong (9).
Game 2 - 3 p.m. PT
Scoring by Quarters 1 2 3 4 Final
Hawai`i 3 1 3 2 - 9
Cal State Northridge 0 1 3 0 - 4
Goals by HAW: Beth Novick (3), Iefke Van Belkum (2), Monika Kruszona (2), Audrey Harrer, Darcy Scott-Hosaka.
HAW Goalie Saves: Jamie Wendell (13).
Goals by CSUN: Chari Christopher (2), Allison Brookes, Genaye Mowrer.
CSUN Goalie Saves: Elizabeth Geiger (8).
