UCLA
Hawai'i
Bruins Put Away Host Rainbow Wahine, 12-4
March 31, 2017 | Women's Water Polo
HONOLULU โ The No. 3 UCLA women's water polo team topped its Hawaii Invitational host Friday, with a 12-4 victory over the No. 8 Rainbow Wahine at the Duke Kahanamoku Aquatic Complex. Maddie Musselman led the way for the Bruins, as she posted a hat trick that included her team-leading 40th goal of the season.
Alexa Tielmann got UCLA on the board 23 seconds into the contest to establish an early advantage. The redshirt senior added her second 2:04 later for her 23rd score of the season. Hawaii cut its deficit in half at 4:03 of the frame when Gabi Mantellato found the back of the net. Kodi Hill went on to close the quarter with her 22nd of the season to give UCLA a 3-1 edge heading to the second quarter.
The second quarter belonged to the Bruin defense and Carlee Kapana in goal. The Rainbow Wahine was held scoreless over the second eight minutes, which opened the door for UCLA to pull away. Mackenzie Barr scored her 13th of the season before Musselman tallied two of her own, including her 40th, as the teams headed to the break with UCLA leading 6-1.
Both teams were held scoreless for the first 3:33 of the third quarter, but Musselman broke the spell with her third of the contest. Bronte Halligan posted her 18th of the year before Hawaii's Femke Aan was able to snap a six-goal run by the Bruins. Nicole Reynolds added her seventh of the season and Alys Williams was able to beat the buzzer to send the Bruins to the fourth with a 10-2 advantage.
It took nearly five minutes for either team to get on the board in the final quarter before Rachel Whitelegge gave the Bruins another quarter-opening goal. Chloe Barr and Hannah Thompson chipped away at the UCLA lead, but it was too little, too late for the Rainbow Wahine. Lizette Rozeboom beat the game's final buzzer to complete scoring and give the Bruins a 12-4 decision.
The Bruins will play one more at the Duke Kahanamoku Aquatic Complex Saturday, when they square off with No. 12 UC Santa Barbara. Play will begin at 3:00 p.m., PT.
No. 3 UCLA (3, 3, 4, 2 โ 12)
Musselman โ 3; Tielmann โ 2; Barr, Halligan, Hill, Reynolds, Rozeboom, Whitelegge, Williams โ 1
No. 8 Hawaii (1, 0, 1, 2 โ 4)
Aan, Barr, Mantellato, Thompson โ 1
