The No. 11 UC Irvine Women’s Water Polo team (2-4) fell to No. 5 University of Hawai’i (4-1) 15-16 in double overtime at the Canyonview Aquatic Center in San Diego on Jan. 31.
UCI once again lost against the Rainbow Wahine, as the two teams met in Honolulu on April 5, 2025. In that matchup, Hawai’i was victorious 11-6 in overtime.
To start the game off, junior attacker Sara Naulty scored at 7 minutes, 26 seconds in the first period, putting Irvine up 1-0. A few seconds later, Hawai’i responded with a goal from redshirt sophomore utility Agatha Weston to tie the game 1-1.
Less than 30 seconds later, Irvine went ahead as junior attacker Lauren Hett scored to put the ‘Eaters up 2-1. A little more than 10 seconds later, Weston scored her second of the game to tie the game at 2-2.
With 5 minutes, 55 seconds remaining in the first period, UC Irvine once again moved ahead with redshirt junior utility Charley Birdsall scoring to put UCI up 3-2. But once again, with less than a 30 second difference between goals, the Rainbow Wahine tied the game at three following a goal from freshman utility Ariadna Temprano Xambó.
During the first period, at the 4 minutes, 8 seconds mark, Hawai’i took their first lead of the game as senior utility Alia Burlock gave the Rainbow Wahine a 4-3 lead. The Anteaters answered back with a goal less than 30 seconds later, following a goal from freshman defender Chloe Patist to tie the game at four.
At 3 minutes, 14 seconds in the first period, Hawai’i took a longer lasting lead following the third goal of the game from Weston –— which gave the Rainbow Wahine a 5-4 lead.
UC Irvine trailed all game until the end of the 4th period, where junior defender Annabelle Mundelius scored to tie the game at 13.
The tie was not broken, and both teams entered the first overtime period with Weston scoring first to put Hawai’i up 14-13. Hett answered back to tie the game at 14.
With 58 seconds remaining in overtime, Burlock scored, putting the Rainbow Wahine up once again 15-14.
At 36 seconds remaining, Hett was fouled and given a penalty shot, which she converted, tying the game at 15 with 34 seconds remaining.
Both teams struggled to do much offensively in the second overtime period, as the game remained tied at 15 going into the final minute of the period. With 40 seconds remaining, Temprano Xambó was fouled and given a penalty shot. She converted it, which gave Hawai’i a 16-15 lead with 39 seconds remaining in the game.
Hawai’i held on to the lead, ending the game up 16-15.
The Rainbow Wahine would not have been able to win without the efforts of Weston — who scored half of Hawai’i’s goals very efficiently — ending the game with eight goals on nine shots.
Hett and Mundelius led the Anteaters with four goals apiece.
The Anteaters fell to No. 6 Arizona State University, 14-8, later that day.
Jack Fedor is the 2025-2026 Sports Editor. He can be reached at jfedor@uci.edu.
Edited by Benjamin Flores and Annabelle Aguirre.
