BERKELEY, Calif.—Despite a strong defensive effort in the second half, the fifth-ranked University of Hawai'i women's water polo team fell to No. 4 California 10-8 on Sunday at the Spieker Aquatics Complex in Berkeley, Calif.
Agatha Weston led UH (11-4, 3-0 Big West) offensively with a hat trick — her sixth match with at least three goals — while Ema Vernoux surpassed 100 career goals with two scores in the contest.
Defensively, the Rainbow Wahine held Cal (11-3, 2-1 MPSF) to 10-for-31 (.323) shooting overall and 3-for-18 (.167) in the second half, highlighted by a 10-save performance from Daisy Logtens in the cage.
UH got out to a quick start as Weston delivered a rocket into the cage to claim the early lead. Cal responded with back-to-back goals, but Vernoux answered with her 100th career goal on a power play to tie the match at 2-2 after one quarter of play.
The Golden Bears reclaimed the lead with a score at the 6:55 mark of the second quarter, but the Rainbow Wahine answered with a goal from Camile Radosavljevic. Cal added a power-play goal before Vernoux converted on another power play to knot the score at 4-4. The Golden Bears tallied three goals to build the largest lead of the match. Ariadna Temprano Xambó drained a score off a perfect pass from
Gabrielle Doyle on the power play, and the 'Bows faced a two-goal deficit at halftime.
UH opened the third frame with another power play goal from Weston to pull within one. Cal added three goals before Weston closed the quarter with her third goal of the match to complete the hat trick. Logtens kept the UH within striking distance with seven clutch saves in the quarter as the Rainbow Wahine held the Golden Bears to 3-for-11 shooting (.273 SH%).
Logtens and the Rainbow Wahine defense held Cal scoreless in the fourth quarter, limiting the Golden Bears to 0-for-7 shooting. UH was also held scoreless until Radosavljevic closed the gap to two with 1:53 remaining. The 'Bows were unable to convert on their final two possessions and fell short in a hard-fought contest.
UH returns home to face USC on Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. Hawai'i Time at the Duke Kahanamoku Aquatic Complex.
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