SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — The third-ranked University of Hawai'i water polo team defeated No. 19 UC Santa Barbara 15-7 in the Big West opener on Friday at the UC Santa Barbara Campus Pool in Santa Barbara, Calif.
Bernadette Doyle led the Rainbow Wahine (11-3, 1-0 Big West) offensively with a career-high five goals including a first quarter hat trick. Camille Radosavljevic recorded a career-high three goals and Jordan Wedderburn also earned a hat trick.
Doyle and Radosavljevic were equally impressive defensively, notching three steals each. The Rainbow Wahine recorded 15 steals and limited UC Santa Barbara (13-9, 0-2) to 7-for-27 shooting (25.9%) from the field. Daisy Logtens and Nalani Yim shared time at goalie, with Logtens recording five saves and Yim adding two.
Doyle scored UH's first three goals of the contest to earn a hat trick by the 1:50 mark of the first quarter. UC Santa Barbara netted one goal, and the Rainbow Wahine led 3-1 after one quarter of play.
Wedderburn scored on a power-play opportunity followed by Doyle's fourth goal of the match. Radosavljevic also capitalized on a power play opportunity to extend UH's lead to 6-1. The Gauchos tallied another goal, but Alia Burlock responded with a score 45 seconds later. Wedderburn capped off the first half with her second goal of the match to extend UH's lead to six.
UC Santa Barbara found a quick score to start the second half, but the 'Bows answered back with two goals. Radosavljevic scored on another power play and Ema Vernoux converted on a penalty shot to put UH into double figures. The Gauchos netted two more goals, but Vernoux tallied her second goal in the quarter and UH took an 11-5 lead into the fourth.
The Rainbow Wahine continued to score at will, tacking on four goals in the fourth quarter. Doyle secured her fifth goal of the match on a power play and Wedderburn completed her hat trick with her third score. Radosavljevic also earned a career high with her third goal of the game. Roni Perlman tallied the 'Bows' final goal on a power play at the 3:16 mark, and the Rainbow Wahine improved to 11-3 on the year.
UH will next face off against CSUN on Sunday at noon PT (9:00 a.m. HT) at the Matador Pool in Northridge California.
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