LA JOLLA, Calif. – The No. 10 UC San Diego women's water polo team dropped a nonconference game to No. 7 Hawaii 12-8 at Canyonview Aquatic Center 12-8. The Tritons trailed by five early on and were able to come within one of Hawaii but they were never able to complete the comeback. UC San Diego falls to 4-3 while Hawaii improves to 1-1
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Similarly to their match-up against Hawaii on March 10, the Tritons dug themselves into a 5-1 hole to start the game. Hawaii was able to score on two early penalty shots to give them the cushion. The Tritons were shut out of the first quarter but were able to find some rhythm on offense in the second quarter with four goals. Annika Arroyo took the feed from Ciara Franke with four seconds left in the half to score and cut the lead down to 6-4.
 
The Triton offense struggled to start the third quarter and turned the ball over on multiple possessions. Arroyo had two goals in the quarter, both bringing the Tritons back within one of Hawaii. Hawaii scored back-to-back goals to take a 9-6 lead, but Ciara Franke stopped the run with a goal to close the quarter out.
 
Neither team would score for the first three minutes of the fourth quarter. Hawaii's Lucia Gomez de la Puenta would score to reclaim a 10-8 lead with 4:40 left in the game. The Tritons had a chance to cut the lead back to one, but Grace Pevehouse's penalty shot attempt missed the cage. The Tritons would remain scoreless while Hawaii would add two more goals to end the final frame.
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• Arroyo led with four goals and set a new career high.
• Franke had a hat trick and Jessee Ransone added a goal as well.
• The Tritons did not convert either of their penalty shots.

 
UP NEXT
The Tritons will have the next week off from competition to focus on finals. They will host SDSU on March 21 for the annual Harper Cup.

About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program began a new era in 2020 as a member of the Big West Conference in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions III and II and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have earned prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions.

Return To Sport… Safely
In order for UC San Diego scholar-athletes to be permitted to return to training and competition safely and within federal, state, local, and university guidelines, the athletic department implemented a number of measures designed to complement and enhance the university's highly-successful Return To Learn program. Notable actions include being physically distanced when practical, including during out-of-season training sessions; wearing masks, except when undergoing physically strenuous exercise; and maintaining proper hygiene. Athletes, coaches, and staff are testing at a higher frequency than the campus population, teams adhere to CDC, NCAA, and Big West Conference guidelines, and department officials participate in regular meetings with conference and university-affiliated physicians and the UC San Diego emergency operations staff.