Posted at 10:20 p.m., Saturday, March 31, 2007
No. 7 Hawaii beats No. 4 Cal in water polo
By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer
The seventh-ranked Rainbow Wahine's 10-9 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation upset of fourth-ranked California Saturday gave them the inside lane to a third consecutive NCAA Championship appearance. That it came after 32 minutes of madness, with disappearing goals and no discernible edge for either team, and before 200 on Senior Day, only made it sweeter.
"This was everything," Roy said. "If we were to lose we wouldn't have had a chance to go to NCAAs unless we won the conference, which is almost impossible."
Hawai'i (11-8, 7-3 MPSF) now plays two MPSF matches and two non-conference matches in California, then heads to the MPSF Championship in Arizona. The goal between now and then is to get better — together.
Four Rainbow Wahine had been at World Championships the last three weeks. Senior Meike De Nooy was backup goalie for ninth-place Netherlands. Kelly Mason, Anna Sieprath and Amy Logan played for New Zealand. All returned from Melbourne Friday.
Amy Logan and Angela Turnbull scored three goals apiece for Hawaii. Kelly Mason had two goals, as did Lisa van Raalte. Goalie Meike De Nooy had nine saves.
