Fresno, Calif. — The fifth-ranked University of Hawai'i women's water polo team capped a drama-packed opening day of the 2024 season with a historic victory over No. 1 Stanford at the Fresno State Polo-Palooza in Fresno, Calif.
 
The Rainbow Wahine went to overtime in both of their matches on Saturday and pulled out a 14-11 win over No. 13 Michigan in the morning match at Clovis North High School. They returned to Fresno State Aquatic Center in the evening to face two-time defending national champion Stanford and earned the program's first win in 37 meetings with the Cardinal with a 9-7 victory.
 
The 'Bows showed off their perseverance against Michigan in a nail biting back-and-forth contest. A second half offensive surge that included 12 goals by the Rainbow Wahine helped them secure the season-opening victory.
 
UH showed no signs of fatigue and used the momentum from the first match of the day to help them take down back-to-back national champion Stanford. The 'Bows defense tightened up late in the game and did not allow a score in the final 13 minutes of play.
 
Sophomore Bia Mantellato Dias led UH with four goals against Michigan — all coming in the second half — and senior Lucia Gomez de la Puente added two goals, including an equalizing score with 24 seconds left in regulation to force overtime. Junior Bernadette Doyle gave UH the lead for good early in OT with her third goal and senior Alba Bonamusa Boix also completed a hat trick to add to the lead in the extra period. Freshman goalie Daisy Logtens earned the win in her collegiate debut.
 
Bonamusa Boix continued her outstanding day by scoring a team-high four goals against Stanford. Senior goalie Emma Gurasich made a clutch save with 37 seconds left in the fourth quarter to send the game into overtime. Gurasich posted six saves (.462) and a steal in her UH debut. Jordan Wedderburn stepped up in a big way, scoring the game-winning shot in the first overtime period. Doyle came up with a steal with 27 seconds left and Wedderburn scored into the empty net to secure the victory.
 
The Rainbow Wahine will face off against fourth-ranked California in an exhibition match on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. Hawaii Time at the Fresno State Aquatics Center. UH will return to the Duke Kahanamoku Aquatic Complex on Friday, Jan. 26 at 6:00 p.m. to take on Princeton in the home opener in the Rainbow Invitational..
 
Game 1 - No. 5 Hawai'i 14, No. 13 Michigan 11
 
The Rainbow Wahine found themselves swimming in the deep end early on, scoring just two goals in the first half of action. Tara Logan recorded the game's first goal, but that excitement would quickly fizzle out. Michigan proceeded to go on a 5-1 scoring run, forcing the 'Bows to play catch-up heading into the second half.
 
After a rocky start to the match, the 'Bows rallied their way back, erasing a three-point deficit at the half. The Rainbow Wahine posted four goals in the first four minutes of the second half, sparked by two quick goals by Alba Bonamusa Boix. Bia Mantellato Dias' shot with 2:03 remaining in the third would tie the game at 7-7 heading into the fourth quarter.
 
Mantellato Dias continued to put on the pressure with her go-ahead score to begin the fourth quarter. The 'Bows would find themselves trailing again after Michigan responded by scoring three consecutive goals. Clutch goals late in the contest by Lot Steterfeld and Lucia Gomez de la Puente would ultimately propel the 'Bows into overtime. Steterfeld's game-tying goal with 2:27 left in the fourth quarter would quickly be erased by a Kata Utassy penalty shot for Michigan. With just 24 seconds left in regulation, Gomez de la Puente tied the game at 11 sending the match into overtime.
 
The team didn't look back from that point on, shutting out the Wolverines in the extra period. Goalie Daisy Logtens finished her UH debut with 15 saves (.577 SV%) and three steals. Bernadette Doyle's go-ahead shot set the tone for the remainder of the game. The 'Bows would follow that score up with two more goals from Alba Bonamusa Boix and Lucia Gomez de la Puente to secure a 14-11 win over the Wolverines.
 
Game 2 - No. 5 Hawai'i 9, No. 1 Stanford 7
 
Hawai'i got off to a strong defensive start to begin the game only allowing a single goal against the Cardinal in the first half. Bonamusa Boix tallied two goals and Mantellato Dias added a goal of her own to give the 'Bows a 3-1 lead heading into the half.
 
Despite the strong defensive effort by the Rainbow Wahine to begin the match, the Cardinal came out of the half scoring five goals in the third quarter. Bonamusa Boix continued her strong offensive day by scoring two more goals in the quarter, giving her four goals in the game and seven on the day. As the two teams traded scores throughout the quarter, UH saw its lead wiped off the board and began regulation tied at six.
 
The defenses on both sides were nearly flawless in the fourth quarter giving up one goal each. Mantellato Dias delivered the game-tying shot with 3:47 left to play in regulation, knotting the score at 7-7. The game's most crucial play was made by goalie Emma Gurasich who made a clutch save during a power play opportunity for Stanford with 37 seconds left in the fourth quarter. That play would send the 'Bows to their second overtime game of the day.
 
Wedderburn scored the game-winning shot in the first period of overtime to give UH an 8-7 lead. Doyle would deliver another clutch play in the second overtime period stealing the ball from Stanford with 27 seconds left in the game. UH's stifling defense held Stanford scoreless for the last 13 minutes of play. Wedderburn scored her second goal of the game with one second left to secure the 9-7 victory.
 

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