Match Notes

The No. 4 University of Hawai'i women's water polo team will open the 2010 season this week on the road at the Northern California Invitational hosted by the University of California in Berkeley, Calif.

 

The Rainbow Wahine are set to play No. 15 UC Santa Barbara and University of the Pacific, Friday, Jan. 29 and No. 14 UC Davis and Cal State East Bay, Sunday, Jan. 31. Following the invitational, UH will face No. 5 California in its first Mountain Pacific Sports Federation match of the season. All games will be played at the Spieker Aquatics Complex in Berkeley, Calif.

           

Last year at the Northern California Invitational (formerly known as the Nor Cal Cup Tournament), the Rainbow Wahine went undefeated, beginning their season with a 4-0 record. UH came out of each match with landslide victories, defeating Sonoma State 14-1, UC Davis 11-7, Cal State Monterey Bay 16-2 and Santa Clara 21-6. 

 

UH opens MPSF play with a crucial match against fifth-ranked California. The Bears are tied for fourth place with the Rainbow Wahine in the MPSF preseason poll with 30 points each. California is also ranked fifth in the College Water Polo Association preseason poll, only one point behind fourth-ranked Hawai'i.

 

The Rainbow Wahine return five of seven starters from last season, including third-team All-American junior Leonie Van Der Molen, honorable mention All-American senior Dagmar Genee, and starting goalie junior Serena Bredin. UH also added five newcomers to the team, including high school All-American Monique Wilson, an attacker from Huntington Beach, Calif.