Score: UC Davis 8, Hawai'i 9
Location: Davis, Calif. (Schaal Aquatic Center)
Records: UC Davis 9-12 (2-2), Hawai'i 11-3 (4-0)
DAVIS, Calif. — Chelsea Johnson scored four goals, while
Gianna Nocetti and
Lillie Vehling each added two to lead UC Davis water polo in a 9-8 loss to the Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine on Friday, Mar. 13.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Chelsea Johnson opened the scoring with a goal in the first 30 seconds of the first to give the Aggies an early lead.
- The Rainbow Wahine responded with a 3-0 scoring run, including back-to-back goals from Agatha Weston, to take control of the first quarter.
- Gianna Nocetti found the back of the net to trim the Hawai'i lead, but the Rainbow Wahine added one more to end the opening period ahead 4-2.
- Following a defensive battle to start the second, Roni Perlman extended the Hawai'i lead to three goals.
- Johnson converted consecutive penalty shots to pull the Aggies within one, and Nocetti buried the equalizer in the final seconds to tie the game 5-5 at halftime.
- After a scoreless start to the third quarter, Lillie Vehling put the Aggies in front, but the Rainbow Wahine answered late in the period to tie the score at 6-6.
- Johnson reclaimed the lead for UC Davis early in the fourth quarter, but Hawai'i responded with two straight goals to move ahead 8-7.
- Vehling scored her second with three minutes remaining to level the match at 8-8.
- Ema Vernoux broke the tie with a goal for the Rainbow Wahine with just under a minute left in the game, and the Hawai'i defense held off a final Aggie push to secure the 9-8 win.
UP NEXT: The Aggies travel to UC Merced tomorrow, Saturday, Mar. 14, to face the Bobcats at 12:00 p.m. PT.
ABOUT UC DAVIS ATHLETICS:
UC Davis, the No. 2 ranked public university by the Wall Street Journal, is home to 40,000 undergraduate students and 12,000 employees. Ranked No. 1 in Agriculture and Forestry as well as No. 1 in Veterinary Medicine, UC Davis is located in a true California college town nestled between world-class destinations such as the San Francisco Bay Area, Napa Valley and Lake Tahoe. Over 650 Aggie student-athletes compete in 25 Division I varsity sports, with 16 sports transitioning to the Mountain West Conference beginning in 2026–27.
For more information, visit
https://ucdavisaggies.com/.
