Cal Loses in Quarterfinals of Women’s NCAA Water Polo Tournament

Cal’s women’s water polo team rallied from a 4-0 deficit to take the lead entering the final period of its NCAA quarterfinal matchup against Hawaii, but the fourth-seeded Rainbow Wahine took charge in the fourth quarter to hand the Golden Bears an 8-7 defeat in Indianapolis on Friday.

Hawaii advances to face top-seeded Stanford on Saturday in the national semifinals, while Cal’s season ends with a 19-6 record.

The Golden Bears reached the national championship game last year, losing to UCLA in the finals, and they were hoping to earn their first NCAA title this year.

Nonetheless, Cal reached at least the quarterfinals for the fourth year in a row.

Cal’s Eszter Vario scored three goals to lead both teams in scoring on Friday but it was not quite enough.

Cal had to make strong comeback on Friday to give itself a chance.  Hawaii held a 4-0 lead early in the second quarter, but Cal scored six of the next seven goals to take the lead in the third quarter.

Rozanne Voorvelt’s goal with 3:59 remaining in the third period put Cal ahead 6-5, giving the Bears their first lead.

The score stayed that way until Hawaii tied the score with a goal in the first minute of the fourth period. Hawaii took the lead for good when Ema Vernoux scored on a penalty shot with 5:50 left.  Hawaii scored again less than two minutes later to make it 8-6 before Cal’s Miriam Bogachenko scored her second goal of the game with nine seconds to go to set the final score.

Cal Goals: Varro 3, Bogachenko 2, Voorvelt 1, Hassett 1

Hawaii Goals: Doyle 2, Burlock 2, Vernoux 2, Wedderburn 2

Cal Saves: Fonseca 9

Hawaii Saves: Logtens 12

Cal outshot Hawaii 32-27.

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