2026 Big West Water Polo Championship Semifinals - No. 1 Hawai'i 8, No. 4 UC Irvine

Box score | UH presser
LONG BEACH, Calif. — In a tightly contested semifinal at the Ken Lindgren Aquatics Center, top-seeded Hawai'i held off No. 4 UC Irvine for an 8-7 victory on Saturday afternoon to advance to the championship match of the 2026 Big West Women’s Water Polo Championship.

With the win, the Rainbow Wahine improve to 15-5 overall, while the Anteaters close their season at 13-14.

Hawai'i capitalized on early momentum, scoring three goals in the opening period on just six shots to take a 3-1 advantage. UC Irvine answered late in the frame with a power-play goal from Naulty, but Hawai'i maintained control behind efficient offense and strong defensive pressure.

The Anteaters surged in the second quarter, outscoring Hawai'i 3-2 to cut the deficit to 5-4 at halftime. Naulty led the charge with two goals in the period, finishing with a game-high four goals on nine shots. Heaver and Murphy each added a goal during the run, while Hawai'i countered with scores from Doyle and Temprano Xambó to preserve the lead.

Hawai'i created separation in the third period, using a 3-1 advantage to extend its lead to 8-5 entering the final frame. Temprano Xambó delivered a dominant stretch, scoring three times in the quarter as part of a four-goal performance on five shots. Vernoux also contributed with a pair of goals, including a penalty conversion late in the period, while Perlman facilitated the offense with a game-high four assists.

UC Irvine continued to battle in the fourth, holding Hawai'i scoreless while outshooting the Rainbow Wahine 11-4 in the period. Naulty added two more goals to bring the Anteaters within one at 8-7 with 2:48 remaining, but Hawai'i’s defense held firm down the stretch to secure the win.

In goal, Logtens anchored Hawai'i with 12 saves and a .632 save percentage, including several key stops in the closing minutes. On the opposite end, Walker recorded nine saves for UC Irvine.

Hawai'i finished the match shooting .296 (8-of-27), while UC Irvine converted at a .212 clip (7-of-33). Both teams went 2-for-8 on power-play opportunities.

Doyle added a well-rounded effort with one goal, one assist, and two steals for Hawai'i, while Klapsianou chipped in a goal and drew three exclusions. For UC Irvine, Hett totaled two points with one goal and one assist, and Mundelius contributed a team-high two assists.

Hawai'i advances to the Big West Championship final and will look to capture its third consecutive tournament title.