DAVIS, Calif. — Clutch goals and stout defense late in the fourth quarter helped the fifth-ranked University of Hawai'i women's water polo team (11-3, 4-0 Big West) hold off No. 15 UC Davis, 9-8, on Friday at the Schaal Aquatics Center.
With 1:45 remaining in the match, Ema Vernoux fired a fastball into the back of the cage for what proved to be the winning goal to remain unbeaten in the Big West at 4-0. The win pushes UH's win streak against Big West opponents to 31, and extended its conference match win streak to 24.
Agatha Weston and
Alia Burlock paced the team with two goals apiece, while
Daisy Logtens anchored the defense with 11 saves (.579 SV%) as the Rainbow Wahine held UCD (9-12, 2-2 Big West) to 8-for-27 shooting (.296 SH%) and 0-for-4 on power plays.
UCD scored in the first 30 seconds of the match, but the 'Bows responded with a 3-0 scoring run. Weston netted back-to-back goals—the first on a power play and the second on a penalty shot—followed by a goal from Burlock. The Aggies added another goal, but UH answered on a power play score from
Tara Logan to give UH a 4-2 advantage after this first quarter.
Both defenses stood tall for the first four minutes of the second quarter until
Roni Perlman found the back of the cage to push UH's lead to three. UCD stormed back with back-to-back penalty shot goals and added another score as time expired to send the match into a 5-5 tie at halftime.
Defenses dominated the first 3:23 seconds of the second half, with neither team allowing a score. UCD eventually broke through after a timeout to take the lead, but UH answered later in the quarter following its own timeout to even the score at 6-6 heading into the final period. UH held UCD to 1-for-5 shooting (.200) and forced a turnover in the frame.
The Aggies claimed the lead with a goal 25 seconds into the fourth quarter, but UH tied and then reclaimed the lead shortly after with back-to-back goals within a minute. Raha Peiravni scored at the 5:47 mark, and Burlock added her second goal at the 4:47 mark. UCD found the back of the cage just over a minute later to tie the match for the fifth time.
UH will face No. 4 Cal on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. HT (1:00 p.m. PT) at the Spieker Aquatics Complex in Berkeley, Calif.
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