Box ScoreHONOLULU – The No. 10 University of Hawai`i women's water polo team went toe-to-toe with No. 2 UCLA before eventually succumbing to the Bruins, 5-4, Saturday night at the Duke Kahanamoku Aquatic Complex. The Rainbow Wahine fell to 13-8 overall with their third straight loss.
One day after a disappointing conference loss to UC Irvine, the Rainbow Wahine gave a spirited effort against its former MPSF rival. In a highly physical match, UH fell behind by three on a pair of occasions, but found themselves with a pair of chances to send the game into overtime in the closing minute. But two UH shots—one by
Claire Nixon with 55 seconds and a last ditch shot by
Caity Lopes da Silva with a second left were stuffed by Bruin goalkeeper Sami Hill. Hill finished with a game-high 10 saves.
Paula Chillida Esforzado scored three of UH's four goals, including a goal early in the fourth quarter to cut the deficit to just 5-4. Danielle Ferraro scored a pair of goals for the Bruins who improved to 20-2 with their ninth straight win.
The Bruins jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the first quarter and led 3-1 at the break. UCLA extended its lead to 5-2 with 2:01 left in the third quarter. But Chillida Esforzado scored a pair of goals—a buzzer-beater at the end of the third and another score less than two minutes into the fourth—to set up the thrilling finish. UH shutout the Bruins in the final frame, but could not find the back of the net themselves in the final five-plus minutes of action.
The game was a rematch of last year's NCAA Tournament third-place gam, won by UCLA.
The Rainbow Wahine next head to the road for a trio of matches, beginning with a Big West contest at Cal State Northridge on Friday, April 4 at 3:00 p.m. PT/12:00 p.m. HT.
#2 UCLA def. #10 Hawai`I, 5-4Scoring By Period 1 2 3 4 F UCLA 2 1 2 0 5
UH 0 1 2 1 4
UH Scoring: Paula Chillida Esforzado (3),
Emily CarrUH Saves: Amy Carlson 5
UCLA Scoring: Danielle Ferraro (2), Emily Donohoe, Rachel Fattal, Alys Williams
UCLA Saves: Sami Hill 10
-UH-
