Hawaii water polo team eliminated by California in NCAA semifinal

The Hawaii water polo team had a bevy of chances in its NCAA semifinal against California at the Golden Bears’ Spieker Aquatics Complex on Saturday.

Shooting for the biggest win in program history, the Rainbow Wahine misfired, however, in a 9-6 loss that brought their landmark 2024 season to an end.

It was the last match for 13-year head coach Maureen Cole, who announced before the season she would retire to spend more time with her family. Her assistant coach, James Robinson, takes over the program this summer.

“Game aside, I’m just really proud of the Wahine team this year, this season,” a tearful Cole said via a Zoom call afterward. “This game in particular didn’t go the way we wanted it to, but they fought until the end and that’s just a testament to the people they are. A great group of girls, a group I would want to spend the last nine months with, and just really proud of their efforts.”

Big West champion UH (23-4), which authored two wins over No. 1 teams and went 1-1 against Cal in the regular season, generated plenty of power-play opportunities but struggled mightily to capitalize on them. It was just 2-for-17 scoring in man-up situations. Cal was 4-for-8 in those situations.

“The power play tells pretty much all,” said Cole, who noted her group was “a little out of sorts” and had trouble sensing when to step in to shoot. She added that an unusual pattern of exclusions on some of her key players caused her to go to a mixed-and-matched group of players in the pool in the first half.

But ultimately, it came down to not capitalizing on the team’s many power plays, she acknowledged.

“We couldn’t put the ball away very well today. They did. So, credit to Cal for doing that,” she said. “Wish this could’ve gone on another day but, proud of the team.”

The Wahine trailed 2-1 after a quarter but a series of defensive lapses led to a disastrous second quarter in which Cal scored six times to take an 8-3 lead into intermission.

“That second quarter was a killer,” Cole said.

UH held Cal (19-6) of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation to just one goal in the second half in its home pool to give itself a chance at a comeback.

Bernadette Doyle’s third goal of the game, a shot at the far post from the right wing, got UH within 9-6 with 4:27 to go.

Big West Player of the Year Bia Mantellato Dias had a prime chance to get UH within two, but she fired wide right on a penalty shot with 3:47 remaining.

Doyle’s lob goal was disallowed with 2:46 left as a whistle occurred first. Lot Stertefeld’s ensuing shot – essentially a must-make at that point – caromed off the crossbar.

Doyle said she was able to tune out Cal’s raucous home crowd and noted there were some UH fans in attendance.

“I’m so happy that I was able to be coached by Mo again, and James,” said Doyle, who came back for her senior season after spending years away from the program with the New Zealand national team. “We had a great year with the team and we just tried to make Hawaii proud, and the university. I guess we didn’t get there at the end, but we fought right ’til the end, so I guess that just shows our team this year.”

UH was attempting to advance to the first NCAA final in program history. Instead, Cal will face UCLA (25-0), which defeated Stanford 10-8 in Saturday’s first semifinal, in the Bears’ first final since 2011.

Cole, a Punahou and UCLA alumna, exits as the winningest and most successful coach in program history.

“I think Coach Robinson is the best that there is,” Cole said of the future of the program. “I think Hawaii is in phenomenal hands and that’s why I’m at complete peace walking away.”

Brian McInnis covers the state’s sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.