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Bia Mantellato Dias shoot
11
Winner UC Irvine UCI (0)
10
Hawai'i HAW (0)
Winner
UC Irvine UCI
(0)
11
Final
10
Hawai'i HAW
(0)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
UC Irvine UCI 2 2 4 3 11
Hawai'i HAW 1 3 3 3 10

Game Recap: Women's Water Polo |

Women’s Water Polo Edged By UC Irvine, 11-10

HONOLULU  -- In a showdown of the league's top two teams, No. 6 UC Irvine out-dueled the No. 4 Hawai'i women's water polo team, 11-10, Saturday at the Duke Kahanamoku Aquatics Center. The Anteaters (16-6, 6-0) scored the final two goals of the match to remain undefeated in Big West play and clinch at least a share of the conference regular-season title. 

UH (18-5, 5-1) is still alive to earn a share of the title if they beat UC Davis in its home finale, coupled with a UCI loss to Long Beach State. It was a painful loss for the 'Bows who fell to the Anteaters for the second straight time in Honolulu following last year's loss in the Big West Tournament title match. 

Saturday's match was a classic close battle between the two league rivals with the margin never more than one goal during the match. Kennedy East scored four goals to lead UCI, including the last two goals of the match. East's heroics offset another stellar performance by UH freshman Bia Mantellato Dias who netted a team-high five goals. 

The first half was a see-saw affair. UCI took a 2-1 lead after the first quarter, but a Lot Stertefeld goal late in the second half gave UH its first lead, 4-3. UCI answered with a Gracie Helberg goal with six ticks left in the half to knot things up, 4-4, at the intermission. 

It continued to be a back-and-forth affair in the second half. UH put themselves in position for the win when Jordan Wedderburn scored her second goal of the match to give UH a 10-9 lead with 3:21 left. It was UH's first lead since the opening moments of the second half.

But East dug UCI out of the hole with a pair of goals with less than two minutes left, including the game-winner with 1:14 left when she floated a shot over the out-stretched arms of UH goalkeeper Bridget Layburn. UH had a pair of chances to tie the score but came up empty in its last two possessions, including a Mantellatto Dias shot that was blocked by UCI with less than 10 seconds left. 

Hawai'i will host its final home match of the season on  Saturday, April 22 versus UC Davis at 6 p.m. Libby Gault, Olivia Kistler, and Emma van Rossum will be honored following the match as part of Senior Night festivities.
 
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