Sunday, March 9
Northridge, Calif.
12:00 p.m.
California State University at Northridge
15-6
9
vs
14
#3 Hawai'i
12-3
1
2
3
4
F
Hawai'i
1
4
5
4
14
CSUN
2
3
3
1
9
Photo by: Chuck Marvel
CSUN Gives Third-Ranked Hawai'i a Battle in 14-9 Defeat
3/9/2025 2:08:00 PM | Women's Water Polo
NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---No. 23 CSUN Water Polo matched No. 3 Hawai'i goal for goal for most of the afternoon, but the Rainbow Wahine pulled away down the stretch for a 14-9 victory at Matador Pool on Sunday. Seniors Dorottya Telek and Anna Pal had two goals and one assist apiece while goalie Erika Staine finished with seven saves.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Matadors would shut out the Rainbow Wahine for the first five-plus minutes of the match while Pal and Tatum Scary scored for an early 2-0 CSUN lead. Ema Vernoux tallied the first goal for Hawai'i with 2:14 left in the first period as CSUN took a 2-1 lead to the second quarter. Pal would open the second with a goal off a power play for a 3-1 lead, but back-to-back goals from Stevilyn Griffin tied the match up at 3-3. At the 5:00 mark, Helena Sandhagen found the back of the net to put the Matadors back on top before Vernoux answered for Hawai'i with consecutive tallies to take the lead. In the final second of the first half, CSUN picked up a timely goal from Abigel Kiss to square the match at 5-5 heading to intermission.
CSUN once again opened a quarter with an early goal in the third when Valeria Martinez put CSUN back ahead 6-5. Hawai'i though responded with a 3-0 run as Jordan Wedderburn netted two goals to give Hawai'i the lead once more at 8-6. With 2:21 left in the third, Kianna Melvin dented the net to cut the deficit to one, but a pair of Matador exclusions led to Hawai'i goals. CSUN trailed 10-7 in the finals seconds of the third quarter when Telek scored a thrilling goal at the horn, pulling the Matadors to within two.
In the fourth, CSUN would draw three exclusions in the first seven minutes of the period but could not take advantage while the Rainbow Wahine took control with four unanswered goals. The Matadors would get a goal via a five-meter penalty in the final minute of action, scored by Telek to close the scoring for the afternoon.
NOTES OF THE GAME
ACCORDING TO COACH MATT WARSHAW
"The level of competition in our conference is pretty remarkable and today we rose to the occasion by playing the third-ranked team in the country goal for goal all the way to the end. This was a complete team effort with us limiting Hawai'i's big four and us hitting our shots. Games like this are a good reminder of what we are capable of as we head into the final stretch run of the season."
UP NEXT
CSUN heads to the road next week for a Big West match with UC Irvine on Friday, March 14 at noon.
#GoMatadors
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HOW IT HAPPENED
The Matadors would shut out the Rainbow Wahine for the first five-plus minutes of the match while Pal and Tatum Scary scored for an early 2-0 CSUN lead. Ema Vernoux tallied the first goal for Hawai'i with 2:14 left in the first period as CSUN took a 2-1 lead to the second quarter. Pal would open the second with a goal off a power play for a 3-1 lead, but back-to-back goals from Stevilyn Griffin tied the match up at 3-3. At the 5:00 mark, Helena Sandhagen found the back of the net to put the Matadors back on top before Vernoux answered for Hawai'i with consecutive tallies to take the lead. In the final second of the first half, CSUN picked up a timely goal from Abigel Kiss to square the match at 5-5 heading to intermission.
CSUN once again opened a quarter with an early goal in the third when Valeria Martinez put CSUN back ahead 6-5. Hawai'i though responded with a 3-0 run as Jordan Wedderburn netted two goals to give Hawai'i the lead once more at 8-6. With 2:21 left in the third, Kianna Melvin dented the net to cut the deficit to one, but a pair of Matador exclusions led to Hawai'i goals. CSUN trailed 10-7 in the finals seconds of the third quarter when Telek scored a thrilling goal at the horn, pulling the Matadors to within two.
In the fourth, CSUN would draw three exclusions in the first seven minutes of the period but could not take advantage while the Rainbow Wahine took control with four unanswered goals. The Matadors would get a goal via a five-meter penalty in the final minute of action, scored by Telek to close the scoring for the afternoon.
NOTES OF THE GAME
- CSUN drops to 15-6 overall and 0-2 in Big West play while Hawai'i improves to 12-3 overall and 2-0 in conference.
- Telek scored her 82nd and 83rd goals of the season to go with eight exclusions drawn.
- Pal finished with two steals along with her two goals.
- Martinez had two steals and two field blocks for CSUN.
ACCORDING TO COACH MATT WARSHAW
"The level of competition in our conference is pretty remarkable and today we rose to the occasion by playing the third-ranked team in the country goal for goal all the way to the end. This was a complete team effort with us limiting Hawai'i's big four and us hitting our shots. Games like this are a good reminder of what we are capable of as we head into the final stretch run of the season."
UP NEXT
CSUN heads to the road next week for a Big West match with UC Irvine on Friday, March 14 at noon.
#GoMatadors
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Team Stats
HAW
CSUN
Shots
29
34
Goals
14
9
Assists
9
7
Points
23
16
Exclusions
10
12
Steals
10
5
Sprints
4
0
1
Anna Pal
4:40
Tatum Scarry
3:20
Ema Vernoux
2:14
2
Anna Pal
7:08
Stevilyn Griffin
6:49
Stevilyn Griffin
5:14
Helena Sandhagen
5:00
Ema Vernoux
3:29
Ema Vernoux
0:57
Abigel Kiss
0:01
3
Valeria Martinez
7:13
Jordan Wedderburn
6:53
Bernadette Doyle
5:34
Jordan Wedderburn
4:27
Kianna Melvin
2:21
Jordan Wedderburn
1:03
Alia Burlock
0:31
Dorottya Telek
0:01
4
Ema Vernoux
5:34
Bernadette Doyle
4:05
Jordan Wedderburn
3:26
Ema Vernoux
1:38
Dorottya Telek
0:34
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
5
Goals
2
Assists
1
Points
3
Shots
5
Goals
1
Assists
0
Points
1
Shots
4
Goals
1
Assists
1
Points
2
Players Mentioned
Center
/ Women's Water PoloUtility
/ Women's Water PoloUtility
/ Women's Water Polo
Attacker
/ Women's Water Polo
Goalkeeper
/ Women's Water PoloCenter
/ Women's Water PoloA Conversation With Matt Warshaw
Friday, May 15
National Student-Athlete Day 2019 - McKenzie Beardsley
Friday, April 05
CSUN Water Polo Report
Friday, February 10
Meet the Matadors - 2017 Women's Water Polo
Wednesday, January 18