DAVIS, Calif. - No. 1 USC (27-2) edged No. 4 Hawai`i (18-11), 9-7, in one semifinal match at the 2006 NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship at UC Davis' Schaal Aquatics Center.
Brittany Hayes put the Women of Troy on the board first at the 4:51 mark on a 6-on-5 opportunity. UH's Anna Sieprath maintained her torrid scoring run knotting the game at one on UH's first power-play at the 1:40 mark as she slammed one through the upper part of the cage.
The second quarter began with USC a man up as Sieprath was ejected with one second remaining in the first quarter, but UH goalie Meike De Nooy made her second straight power-play save to bring the two teams back to even strength.
Sieprath then found Kristy Bagnall all alone at the 6-meter area, as she skipped it under the hands of USC goalie Whitney Morgan to give UH a short-lived 2-1 lead. UH committed a 4-meter penalty on USC's next possession and Anna Pardo tied it at two at 4:41. Bagnall dished off to Iefke Van Belkum on the right side and the All-American found the bottom right corner of the net to put UH up 3-2. UH took advantage of another 6-on-5 as Sieprath ripped one through the right side to put the Rainbow Wahine up 4-2. USC's Patty Cardenas scored on a 6-on-4 as two UH players were ejected in a matter of seconds and Moriah Van Norman tied it 44 seconds later as both teams went to halftime tied at four.
USC went down on the opening possession of the third quarter and took a 5-4 lead on Van Norman's second goal from point blank range. But UH quickly countered 25 seconds later on a power-play score by Kelly Mason.
At the 4:42 mark in the third, UH's Sieprath picked up her third major and USC took advantage as Hayes scored her second goal at 4:27 to give USC a 6-5 lead. The Women of Troy stopped UH on its next possession and came down and went up two, 7-5, as Kami Craig wheeled in a back hand at 3:57. USC posted its largest lead with eight seconds in the quarter as Cardenas slipped one through from out front.
UH squandered a golden opportunity to open the fourth as Bagnall got loose inside the 2-meter area, but USC's Morgan rejected her shot right in front of the goal. USC came down and took advantage of another man up as Van Norman converted her hat-trick opportunity.
UH's Mason closed the gap to 9-6 converting a 6-on-4. UH picked up a turnover and sprinted past the defenders as Bagnall uncorked a shot from 5-meters out front to cap the scoring.
"I was very proud of my ladies today," head coach Michel Roy said. "They played with a lot of heart and character.
"This game could have went either way," Roy added. "It's unfortunate, but I have a good feeling we'll bounce back before tomorrow's (third place match)."
Sieprath, Mason, and Bagnall each scored two to lead the Rainbow Wahine in defeat. Hayes and Cardenas matched that total for the Women of Troy. USC takes on UCLA in the championship match at 5 p.m. Sunday. That game is televised on CSTV. Hawai`i faces Stanford in the third-place game Sunday at 3 p.m.
NCAA Championship - Quarterfinal
7:30 p.m. PST
Scoring by Quarters 1 2 3 4 Final
Hawai`i 1 3 1 2 - 7
USC 1 3 4 1 - 9
Goals by HAW: Anna Sieprath (2), Kelly Mason (2), Kristy Bagnall (2), Iefke Van Belkum.
HAW Goalie Saves: Meike De Nooy (6).
Goals by USC: Moriah Van Norman (3), Brittany Hayes (2), Patty Cardenas (2), Anna Pardo, Kami Craig.
USC Goalie Saves: Whitney Morgan (8).
Records: Hawai`i (18-11), USC (27-2)
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