Box Score BERKELEY, Calif. - A late fourth-quarter rally wasn't enough as the fifth-ranked University of Hawai'i women's water polo team fell just short, 10-9 against No. 4 Cal on Saturday afternoon at the Spieker Aquatics Center in Berkeley, Calif.
The Golden Bears (11-3) used a 7-0 scoring surge in the second and third periods and staved off a furious comeback by the Rainbow Wahine in the fourth. UH (12-3) was paced by
Elyse Lemay-Lavoie, who led the late rally by stringing together six straight goals – a career high.
In a back-and-forth first quarter, the Rainbow Wahine would strike first off a
Emma van Rossum powerplay goal at the 6:26 mark. Cal's Kitty Lynn Joustra found the back of the net to even the scoring but on the next UH possession,
Carmen Baringo connected on her first score to put Hawaiʻi ahead 2-1 at the end of the period.
It was all Cal in the second frame, outscoring the Rainbow Wahine 4-1. After trading goals in the first six minutes, the Golden Bears put together three late goals to push their lead to 5-3 at the break.
The Rainbow Wahine were unable to find any rhythm in the third period as the Golden Bears poured in four more goals. UH responded as Lemay-Lavoie scored two straight to give Hawai'i life, down 9-5 entering the final period.
In the final eight minutes, Cal's Eli Propapas added one goal to put the Bears up 10-5. Lemay-Lavoie continued her hot shooting, stringing together three more goals to cut the deficit to 10-8 with 2:23 remaining. With 13 seconds remaining, Lemay-Lavoie added her sixth-straight goal but the late rally wasn't enough as time expired.
The Rainbow Wahine will return home to gear up for No. 1 Southern California on March 16 at the Duke Kahanamoku Aquatic Complex with the first sprint slotted for 6:00 p.m. HT.
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