Lauren Silver scored eight goals as No. 2 Stanford defeated No. 4 Hawai'i, 14-11, yesterday in the third-place match of the NCAA Women's Water Polo Championships at College Park, Md.

Third-ranked UCLA beat top-ranked USC, 5-4, to capture its fifth straight national championship.

The Rainbow Wahine finished 19-10 on the season, placing fourth in the nation for the third time in program history.

"Overall it was a great season. Anytime you make it to the NCAA Championship you have to be proud of the team," UH coach Michel Roy said. "We kept up with Stanford tonight. They are a good team. Stanford's always been in the top two or three teams in the nation."

Saara Majuri scored four goals, Lisa van Raalte added three and Carmen Eggens had two for the Bows, who trailed 7-5 at halftime but closed to 8-7 in the third quarter before the Cardinal (26-4) pulled away with four straight goals.

"We played hard and had a chance," Roy said. "We got some great effort ... but we needed to be a little bit luckier on shooting the balls and scoring goals."

SOFTBALL

DIXIE'S LATE RALLY ENDS HPU'S SEASON

Ashley McFarland hit a bases-clearing triple with two outs in the top of the seventh and Lauren Folta worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the inning as Dixie State handed Hawai'i Pacific a heart-breaking 3-2 loss yesterday in the NCAA West Regional final at St. George, Utah.

The Red Storm (39-10) advance to Super Regional while the Sea Warriors finish the season at 41-12.

"It was a tough loss," said HPU coach Bryan Nakasone. "With two outs in the seventh and a two-run lead, I thought we had them. But as the saying goes, it ain't over till it's over."

Courtney Kessell pitched a solid game for HPU, taking a four-hit shutout into the seventh. She hit the leadoff batter, got the next two, gave up a single and a walk to load the bases for McFarland, who tripled to right-center to make it 3-2.

Brittnie Whipple relieved Folta to start the seventh. After inducing the leadoff batter to ground out, Whipple walked the next Sea Warriors and was replaced by Folta. Folta got the next batter to fly out to left, and recorded the final out on a liner back to the mound.

HPU scored a run in the fourth on singles by Kozy Toriano and Laine Shikuma and a throwing error, then added another in the sixth on Ciera Senas' infield single.

Shikuma batted 2 for 4 to lead the Sea Warriors.