FRESNO, Calif.—The fourth-ranked University of Hawai'i women's water polo team split its opening day of the 2026 season, earning an 11-6 victory over No. 12 San Jose State before falling to No. 5 Cal, 14-9, on Saturday at the Fresno State Polopalooza in Fresno, Calif.
The Rainbow Wahine close out the Polopalooza on Sunday when they face No. 15 Michigan, with the opening sprint scheduled for 7:30 a.m. Hawai'i Time at the Fresno State Aquatics Center.
Game 1: No. 4 Hawai'i 11, No. 12 San Jose State 6
Senior Roni Perlman finished the match with a career-high seven points, recording three goals and four assists, while preseason All-Big West selection Agatha Weston earned a hat trick with three goals. Goalkeeper Daisy Logtens anchored the defense with four saves in three quarters of action, while Nalani Yim recorded two saves in one quarter.
UH's stout defense set the tone early forcing the Spartans to miss their first seven shot attempts of the match. Perlman netted the first goal of the season for the Rainbow Wahine to give UH a 1-0 lead after the first quarter.
UH found its groove offensively, erupting for six goals in the second frame. Freshman Ariadna Temprano Xambó scored her first collegiate goal with a relentless effort off a rebound, followed by a strike from Gabrielle Doyle. Weston added two goals in the quarter, while Asimina Klapsianou fought through traffic to earn her first career goal. Perlman capped the scoring with her second goal of the match as UH took a 7-2 lead into halftime.
The teams traded goals in the third quarter, with each side scoring three times. Perlman fired a fastball into the back of the cage to complete her hat trick, while Ema Vernoux tallied her first goal of the match and Temprano Xambó added her second.
Weston earned a hat trick after registering her third goal of the match at the 4:16 mark. UH finished the contest with another strong defensive effort, allowing just one goal with Yim guarding the net to secure the season-opening victory.
Game 2: No. 5 Cal 14, No. 4 Hawai'i 9
Weston picked up where she left off with a career-high four-goals to lead the team in scoring. Vernoux recorded a hat trick after scoring all three of her goals in the second quarter.
Cal opened the match with two goals before Weston converted on the powerplay to put the 'Bows on the board. The Golden Bears added three more goals, but Weston responded with her second goal of the quarter. Cal tacked on another score at the buzzer to take a 6-2 lead after the first period.
Vernoux delivered an electric second quarter, scoring three goals to earn her first hat trick of the season. Cal scored three goals of their own, and the 'Bows continued to trail by four at halftime.
Perlman opened the second half with a strike, but Cal responded with three straight goals. Weston answered with her third goal of the contest to complete her second hat trick of the day, followed by a score from Temprano Xambó with one second left to send the Rainbow Wahine into the fourth with momentum.
Weston tallied her fourth goal of the match, setting a new single-game career-high, but the deficit was too much to overcome as UH fell to 1-1 on the season.
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