FULLERTON, Calif. — The University of Hawai'i women's water polo team, ranked third and fourth in the national polls, was crowned outright Big West regular-season champion after a 14-4 win over Cal State Fullerton on Sunday at the Fullerton College pool in Fullerton, Calif.
Ema Vernoux,
Bernadette Doyle and
Jordan Wedderburn led the Rainbow Wahine (18-4, 7-0 Big West) with three goals apiece, and UH set a program record with its 15th consecutive regular-season conference win while completing an undefeated run through the Big West schedule for the second straight year.
Vernoux posted her team-high 16th hat trick on the season, Wedderburn had her 12th, and Doyle earned her 11th on the season. Vernoux will enter the postseason with a team-high 69 goals, the seventh highest single-season total in program history. Wedderburn moved into 10th place on UH's career scoring chart with her 151st career goal.
Seven UH players contributed goals to a first-half scoring barrage and the Rainbow Wahine built a 10-2 halftime lead on their way to rolling to the win in the regular-season finale.
Bernadette Doyle scored on her first two shots of the day to give UH the lead and Wedderburn added another goal with 57 seconds left in the first quarter. Vernoux pushed the lead to 4-0 early in the second then assisted on
Roni Perlman's goal.
Doyle was credited with assists on UH's next two goals, the first to her sister, Gabrielle, and another to Wedderburn and the 'Bows extended their lead to 7-2. Goals from
Stevilyn Griffin,
Alia Burlock and Wedderburn sent UH into halftime with a commanding 10-2 lead.
Vernoux completed her hat trick in the third quarter and
Bernadette Doyle scored her third goal early in the fourth.
Esmee Roijen tallied the final goal of the contest, and UH secured the win.
Goalie
Daisy Logtens made three saves while playing the first half. Freshman
Nalani Yim came up with two saves in the third quarter and
Evelyn Miller closed out the match in the fourth.
The Rainbow Wahine will be the No. 1 seed in the Big West Women's Water Polo Championship set for April 25-27 at the Anteater Aquatics Complex in Irvine, Calif. UH will open its title defense against the No. 8 seed in the quarterfinals on April 25 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time (7 a.m. Hawaii Time).
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