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HONOLULU – The No. 7 University of Hawai'i women's water polo team (2-0, 0-0 Big West) opened the 2016 season with back-to-back wins at the UC Santa Barbara Tournament in Santa Barbara, Calif., defeating No. 4 California, 11-10, and No. 12 Michigan, 10-9.

Newcomers Femke Aan and Julia Barton led UH through its' upset over the fourth-ranked Golden Bears with three goals apiece.

In their first game of the morning, the Rainbow Wahine came through with an explosive third quarter surge to pull ahead of the Golden Bears. After trailing 5-3 at half time, Aan hammered in back-to-back goals and converted a huge penalty shot with 44 seconds left in the third to give UH its' first lead of the game, 8-7.

Cal quickly responded early in the fourth period, answering back with two-straight goals to reclaim the lead. However, Irene Gonzalez found the net soon to follow, tying it up 9-9, and after a goal by Barton gave the Rainbow Wahine the 10-9 advantage, they never looked back.

In their next game of the afternoon, UH was neck-and-neck with the Wolverines going into halftime (5-5). In the third quarter, Michigan was able to outscore the 'Bows, 4-3 for a 9-8 advantage going into the fourth. However, the Rainbow Wahine put pressure on the Wolverines, holding them to just one goal in the final quarter, while netting three of their own, Nikki-Marie Bell scoring the game-winner with just three seconds left.

Bell led the Rainbow Wahine with four goals with two in the fourth quarter alone. Irene Gonzalez additionally helped lead UH with a hat trick against the Wolverines.

UH continues the UC Santa Barbara tournament through the weekend with a pair of games on Jan. 23, first against UCLA at 1:30 p.m. PT, followed by Wagner at 5:50 p.m. PT.
 
 
Scoring By Quarters
UH – 0 3 5 2 = 10
CAL – 2 3 2 2 = 9

UH Goals: Julia Barton (3), Femke Aan (3), Irene Gonzalez (1), Erika Pauley (1), Taylor Molde (1), Carla Abellan (1)
Cal Goals: Carla Carrega (2), Emily Loughlin (2), Genevieve Weed (1), Kindred Paul (1), Sierra Similey (1), Sarah Siepker (1), Stephanie Mutafyan (1)

Scoring By Quarters
UH – 3 2 3 3 = 11
MICH – 3 2 4 1 = 10

UH Goals: Nikki-Marie Bell (4), Irene Gonzalez (3), Femke Aan (2), Julia Barton (1), Taylor Molde (1)
Michigan Goals: Caroline Anderson (2), Ali Thamason (3), Kim Johnson (3), Heide Moreland (1), Danielle Johnson (1)