LOS ANGELES – The No. 5 University of Hawai'i water polo team (12-3) dropped just its third match of the season, making a mid-week appearance on No. 3 Southern California's (12-1) turf at the Uytengsu Aquatics Center. After a tight first half, the Trojans were able to break the match open late and pull past UH, 12-7.
 
Although the Trojans were first to reach the board, twice UH junior Maartje Keuning was able to respond within seconds, leading to a 2-2 tie at the end of the opening stanza. However, USC began to create some breathing room in the second quarter, shutting out the Rainbow Wahine to a 4-2 advantage at halftime.
 
Coming out of the break, Chloe Barr trimmed the deficit to 4-3 just two minutes into the third quarter, but that is as close as UH would get in the second half. After the Trojans scored consecutive goals in response. Despite another score from Barr, the Trojans would head into the final break with a three-goal lead.
 
Although Keuning reached her third hat trick of the year in the fourth quarter, flanked by scores from Femke Aan and Claire Nixon, USC outscored the Rainbow Wahine 5-3 in the final stretch, pulling away to the 12-7 final.
 
Keuning put up three scores and two steals, while Barr netted a pair of goals, two steals and two assists. Senior Ymane Hage registered 11 saves against the Trojans in goal.
 
 

March 8, 2018  |  Uytengsu Aquatics Center (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Scoring by Quarters
#5 Hawai'i (12-3)	2	0	2	3	- 7
#3 Southern California (12-1)	2	2	3	5	- 12
UH Scoring: Maartje Keuning (3), Chloe Barr (2), Femke Aan (1), Claire Nixon (1)
USC Scoring: Paige Hauschild (4), Denise Mammolito (2), Brianna Daboub (1), Verica Bakoc (1), Annika Jensen (1), Hayley McKelvey (1), Kelsey McIntosh (1), Elise Stein (1)

 




 

The Rainbow Wahine remain on the road and turn south to San Diego for this weekend's Aztec Invitational at the Mission Bay Aquatic Center. Hawai'i will log four matches across Saturday and Sunday against Sonoma State, No. 20 Harvard, No. 11 UC San Diego and host No. 21 San Diego State.