IRVINE, Calif. — Powered by a stifling defensive performance, the University of Hawai'i women's water polo team claimed a second consecutive conference title with an 8-6 win over Long Beach State in the Big West Championship final on Sunday at the Anteater Aquatics Complex in Irvine, Calif.
The Rainbow Wahine broke out to an early lead, UH goalkeeper
Daisy Logtens came up with 14 saves on her way to earning the tournament's Most Valuable Player award, and the Rainbow Wahine (21-4) claimed the Big West's automatic berth to the National Collegiate Women's Water Polo Championship with the program's sixth Big West Championship title.
Seven UH players scored in the first half and the No. 1 seeded 'Bows shut out the second-seeded Beach over a span of 18 minutes, 24 seconds to take a 7-2 lead into the fourth quarter. LBSU made a push with three goals in the final period, but the 'Bows maintained the lead and held off the Beach to celebrate back-to-back tournament titles for the first time in program history.
The Rainbow Wahine will make the program's ninth appearance in the NCAA tournament set for May 9-11 in Indianapolis. The nine-team bracket will be revealed on Monday at 2 p.m. Hawai'i Time on ncaa.com.
Long Beach State entered the match averaging 13.9 goals against Big West opponents in the regular season and through the first two days of the conference championship. Led by Logtens' lockdown performance in goal, the 'Bows held the Beach attack to a .171 shooting percentage in Sunday's win.
Freshman
Ema Vernoux converted two penalty shots, the second coming with 1:07 left to help UH fend off LBSU's comeback attempt in the 'Bows' 20th consecutive win in Big West regular-season and championship play.
Roni Perlman scored on a breakaway to open the scoring with her first goal of the tournament. Long Beach State answered with a power-play goal. UH scored on its first 6-on-5 opportunity with
Alia Burlock scoring the middle off a feed from Doyle.
Jordan Wedderburn drew a penalty foul and Vernoux converted to give UH a 3-1 lead. Vernoux then found
Stevilyn Griffin open in the middle for another goal midway through the first quarter. LBSU got a goal back and UH led 4-2 after the first.
Camille Radosavljevic skipped in a goal to beat the shot clock 54 seconds into the second quarter. Logtens came up with four saves early in the period and Wedderburn added to the lead with her first goal of the day and seventh of the tournament.
Silvanne Slot scored from the perimeter with 19 seconds left and Logtens came up with a save at the buzzer to send the 'Bows into halftime with a five-goal lead.
Logtens continued to protect the net in a scoreless third quarter and had 11 saves going into the fourth. LBSU broke its scoring drought 16 seconds in the final period and added two power-play goals to cut the margin to 7-5 with 2:44 left in regulation. Wedderburn drew a penalty foul and Vernoux converted again to give the 'Bows added breathing room with 1:07 left. LBSU lobbed in a goal with 44 seconds left in regulation, but the UH defense came up with one more field block in front of the goal in the final seconds to seal the win.
#WahineWP
