DAVIS, Calif. – UC San Diego won the second half but it wasn't enough to overcome a large first half deficit as the Tritons fell to Hawai'i, 17-10, Saturday in a Big West Women's Water Polo Championship semifinal at Schaal Aquatics Center.

Fourth-seeded and 15th-ranked UC San Diego saw its season come to an end with an 18-12 overall record. It was third-consecutive year that the Tritons advanced to the conference semifinals.

Top-seeded and second-ranked Hawai'i improved to 21-3. The Rainbow Wahine will challenge Long Beach State, the third seed, for the Big West title Sunday. The victor earns the conference's automatic berth in the upcoming NCAA Championship.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The opening half was all Hawai'i as the Rainbow Wahine scored the first nine goals of the game, four of those coming on power play opportunities.

Kendall Thomas was able to get UC San Diego on the board at the 3:59 mark of the second quarter.

With just two seconds left until halftime, Lot Stertefeld found the net to put Hawai'i back up by nine,12-3. She struck again to begin the third quarter, putting one in the back of the net on a power play, giving the Rainbow Wahine a 10-goal advantage for the first time in the game.

However, the Tritons found a groove and scored the game's next four goals, all coming in the third frame. The first was a power play strike by Courtney Okumura at 6:43. Team scoring leader Caroline Christl then took over, netting three-consecutive goals. The first was on a five-meter penalty shot at 5:53. She followed with two more goals, bringing the Tritons within six as the game moved to 13-7 in favor of Hawai'i with 4:18 left in the third.

The Rainbow Wahine answered, scoring three-straight times to open up the fourth quarter, making it 16-7 with 5:28 left in regulation. Two of the goals were on power plays.

UC San Diego had a late rally, scoring three of the game's final four goals as Okumura, Christl, and Lauren Bellavia all added to the Tritons' total, but it wouldn't be enough.

Christl finished with four goals, a game-high. Okumura also had a pair of assists to go with her hat trick, giving her five points on the day. Lexi Stahl made 17 saves to go along with two assists and a steal.

For Hawai'i, Stertefeld and Lucia Gomez de la Puente each scored three times. Five others had two goals apiece and Allegra Chiles had one. Daisy Longtens made nine saves.

WHAT HEAD COACH BRAD KREUTZKAMP HAD TO SAY


TRITON TIDBITS
• It is the third-straight season that UC San Diego advanced to the Big West semifinal round.
• Caroline Christl scored at least once in 15 of her last 16 outings.
• Christl tallied multiple goals in 20 games this season.
• Kendall Thomas scored 15 goals over her final five games.
• During the regular season, Hawai'i defeated UC San Diego, 18-8, in Honolulu.
• It was the final career game for seniors Annika Arroyo, Lauren Bellavia, Grayson Mix, Olivia Seargeant, and Katie Ward. Senior Hannah Kawar, who did not travel to the event, was honored on Senior Night at Canyonview Aquatic Center on April 19.

BIG WEST CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE/RESULTS
First Round - April 26
• No. 1 seed Hawai'i 19, No. 8 seed Cal State Fullerton 6
• No. 4 seed UC San Diego 18, No. 5 seed CSUN 11
• No. 2 seed UC Irvine 9, No. 7 seed UC Davis 6
• No. 3 seed Long Beach State 8, No. 6 seed UC Santa Barbara 6

Semifinals - April 27
• No. 1 seed Hawai'i 17, No. 4 seed UC San Diego 10
• No. 3 Long Beach State 9, No. 2 seed UC Irvine 7

Championship - April 28
• No. 1 seed Hawai'i vs. No. 3 seed Long Beach State, 12 p.m.
 
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.