LA JOLLA, Calif. – Eight Tritons scored goals but the 18th-ranked UC San Diego women's water polo team was edged, 12-10, by fourth-ranked Hawai'i Thursday at Canyonview Aquatic Center.
With the Big West loss, the Tritons dropped to 9-16 overall and 1-3 in conference action. The Rainbow Wahine moved to 17-3 on the season and 4-0 in the Big West.
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HOW IT HAPPENED
Trailing by five goals, 12-7, with 2:35 remaining in the fourth quarter, UC San Diego pressured Hawai'i by scoring three consecutive goals.
Lauren Bellavia led off the run, followed by
Kendall Thomas, who scored on a power play with 1:29 on the clock. After timeouts by each team, freshman Maya Layden scored to bring the Tritons within two, 12-10. Unfortunately, the goal came with just 12 seconds left and the Rainbow Wahine were able to kill the clock on their possession.
Hawai'i scored the first two goals of the game in the opening two minutes and never trailed. UC San Diego tied it at 2-2 with back-to-back power play goals, one coming off the hand of
Annika Arroyo, the other from freshman
Sydney Munatones. A power play score by Lot Stertefeld at 2:26 of the first quarter put the Rainbow Wahine up 3-2 and they held a lead the rest of the way.
UC San Diego had a 28-26 advantage in shots the game. The Tritons converted on five of six power play opportunities, while Hawai'i scored on just four of eight.
Thomas was the lone Triton with multiple goals, recording her eighth hat trick of the season while tacking an assist on to her point total.
Courtney Okumura also finished with four points, collecting a goal and three assists.
Caroline Christl tallied a single goal to up her scoring streak to 11 games.
Lucia Doak also had a goal in the game.
Lexi Stahl made eight saves and iced several point-blank attempts by Hawai'i.
The Rainbow Wahine received seven of their 12 goals from Bia Mantellato Dias. Her goals came off a total of nine shots. Goalkeeper Bridget Layburn finished with four saves.
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HEAD COACH BRAD KREUTZKAMP INTERVIEW
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TRITON TIDBITS
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Courtney Okumura leads the Big West in assists with 36.
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Kendall Thomas' 46 goals rank fourth among all conference players.
• Goalie
Lexi Stahl had one steal in the game and ranks fourth in the Big West with 31 on the season.
• Tonight's game was the second meeting this season between the Tritons and Rainbow Wahine. Hawai'i took a 16-7 victory on Feb. 24.
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UP NEXT
UC San Diego plays its next two games, both Big West contests, on the road. On April 7 the Tritons travel to UC Davis while they play at CSUN on April 15.
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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 in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III 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 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in Divisions I and II.
