March 19, 2008

Honolulu, HI (UWIRE) -- The fifth-ranked University of Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine water polo team (12-3) trounced the No. 13 Cal State Northridge Matadors on Sunday, beating them 15-9 to extend their win streak to five games.

The 'Bows seized an early 3-0 lead in the first quarter and never relinquished it. Junior Angela Turnbull led the team with five goals, while Kelly Mason contributed three.

"It was our best start ever, and we controlled the clock well," said head coach Michel Roy.

The 'Bows executed several successful counterattacks, using their swim speed as an overall advantage.

UH clung onto a five-point lead in the first quarter before the Matadors picked up momentum and began scoring in the second. The 'Bows ended the first half leading the Matadors 7-3 and followed with an exciting third quarter that featured five Hawai'i goals, extending their lead to 12-5.

The 'Bows showed their defensive teamwork by holding the Matadors to five goals by the end of the third.

Freshman Serena Bredin led the team with five saves before being replaced by freshman Sara Gralitzer, who made three saves in the match.

With the victory in hand, Roy elected to rest his key players, and the secondary team allowed the Matadors to score four goals in the fourth quarter. The 'Bows' lead was cut to three goals by the end of the game.

With their fifth consecutive victory, the Rainbow Wahine have their eyes set on the NCAA tournament, where they have reached the Final Four the past two seasons.

The 'Bows have some obstacles they must overcome to win an NCAA championship, including the three teams that defeated them this season. The defeats came at the hands of No. 1 UCLA, No. 2 Stanford and No. 4 California.

Although undefeated in the MPSF, Roy feels that the team has not yet maximized its potential. "We are just starting to see what combination of girls work well together," he said.

The 'Bows' next challenges include home games against No. 2 Stanford on Monday, March 24 and No. 1 UCLA on Friday, March 28.

(C) 2008 Ka Leo O Hawaii via UWIRE