IRVINE – The No. 4 California women's water polo team came back from an early deficit to defeat No. 8 Long Beach State 14-11 after falling in a 12-11 thriller to No. 5 Hawaii in two games on Saturday at the Barbara Kalbus Invitational.

The Golden Bears are now 9-1 on the year, tied for their second-best start to a season over the last 12 years.

No. 4 California 14, No. 8 Long Beach State 11
The Bears fell behind 3-0 early on against the Beach (6-8), but their offense would pick up in a big way towards the end of the first half.

Senior Elena Flynn got things started with Cal's first goal at the 5:09 mark of the second. Rozanne Voorvelt, Rosalie Hassett and Janna Tauscher all scored shortly after to send the Bears into halftime leading 4-3.

Flynn secured her second hat trick of the weekend before the end of the third quarter, and Abbi Magee capped the period off with a late goal to put Cal ahead 9-6 after three. Despite giving up four goals to the Beach in the final frame, the Bears scored five times for the second consecutive quarter to hold on for the win.

Julia Bonaguidi, Ruby Swadling, Hassett and Magee all finished with two goals. Goalkeeper Talia Fonseca tallied eight saves.

Cal 0 4 5 5 – 14
LBSU 1 2 3 5 – 11
Cal Goals: Flynn 3, Bonaguidi 2, Swadling 2, Hassett 2, Magee 2, Tauscher, Voorvelt, Bogachenko
LBSU Goals: Oberman 3, Cardona 2, Multz, Portilla, Koka, Patenade, Capel, Plomp
Cal Saves: Talia Fonseca 8
LBSU Saves: Chelsea Oliver 10

No. 5 Hawaii 12, No. 4 California 11
In its biggest test so far this season, the Bears hung close with Hawaii (9-3) throughout, tying the game four times in the first half and taking their first lead on a Bonaguidi goal to go into the break leading 5-4.

Bonaguidi scored the first goal of the fourth quarter to give Cal a 9-7 lead and put away her third of the game two and a half minutes later to make it 10-9. The Rainbow Wahine equalized a minute later, but Voorvelt put in a clutch goal to once again put the Bears up 11-10.

UH put away the final two goals to come away with the win in a game that featured nine ties and two lead changes. Tauscher tied Bonaguidi for team-high honors with three goals.

Cal 1 4 3 3 – 11
UH 2 2 3 5 – 12
Cal Goals: Bonaguidi 3, Tauscher 3, Voorvelt 2, Magee 2, Flynn
UH Goals: Vernoux 4, Doyle 3, Logan, Burlock, Wedderburn, Radosavljevic, Rios
Cal Saves: Talia Fonseca 5
UH Saves: Daisy Logtens 6

NEXT UP
Cal will close out the weekend against either UC San Diego or UC Irvine on Sunday at 10:20 a.m. PT at Anteater Aquatics Complex.

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