IRVINE, Calif. - The No. 4 University of Hawai`i women's water polo team (6-2, 2-0 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) went undefeated on the first day of the UC Irvine Tournament at the Corona Del Mar High School Aquatics Complex. UH took two victories over No. 12 Cal State Northridge, 12-5 and No. 4 California, 6-5.
UH opened the tournament strong, taking a 2-1 lead over CSUN by first quarter and putting in another two goals while keeping the Matadors silent for a 4-1 halftime advantage.
In the third quarter, the Rainbow Wahine outscored the Matadors 5-3. UH took control in the final quarter, muscling in three more goals to CSUN's one and won the match, 12-5.
The Rainbow Wahine held a vital 1-0 advantage in the first quarter against California, but the Golden Bears rallied back in the second, matching UH 2-2. UH held onto the lead 3-2 going into halftime.
The second half scoring was split even between the two opponents, as both matched 2-2 in the third quarter, and 1-1 in the fourth. Despite the Golden Bears following close behind, the Rainbow Wahine defended their one-point lead for a 6-5 victory.
UH will face first-ranked Stanford tomorrow, Feb. 27 at 10:30 a.m. PT in the semifinals of the UCI Invitational at the Anteater Aquatics Complex. UH's final seed will be determined based on the match's results.
Scoring By Quarters
UH 2 2 5 3 = 12
CSUN 1 0 3 1 = 5
Scoring By Quarters
UH 1 2 2 1 = 6
CAL 0 2 2 1 = 5
-UH-
