March 1, 2002

BERKELEY, Calif. - The fourth-ranked Cal women's water polo team opened up their Mountain Pacific Sports Federation season today, throttling the visiting Hawaii Rainbow Wahine, 12-4, at Spieker Aquatics Complex. The match was the Bears' first at home this season in Berkeley, and improves Cal to a 6-4 record (1-0 MPSF).

Cal got off to a quick start. With the score tied at 1, Brenna Fleener broke her scoring drought to key a four goal run for the Bears over the course of less than three minutes. Hawaii scored a quick goal near the end of the first frame, leaving Cal ahead, 5-2 with seven minutes gone. The Bears' took that goal personally, however, with Bear goalie Lauren Dennis holding the Rainbow Wahine at bay for nearly eight minutes, spanning until the third period. During that time, Cal scored four more unanswered goals by four different Bears. By the end of the first half, seven different Cal players had scored at least one goal. Dennis gave way to Christina Quintanilla late in the third period, with the Bears' blowout standing at 10-3. Each goalie recorded four blocks on the day. Cal doubled up Hawaii in the fourth to close out the match.

A total of nine Bears' scored in Cal's balanced offense, including true freshman Jodie Needles, who tied Fleener and Julia Cesnik with two goals on the day to lead the team. Shining for Hawaii was sophomore Erin Kocher, of Riverside, CA, who put two in the net.

The Bears' are back in action tomorrow at Spieker, when they take on California rival USC in their second MPSF match. The opening sprint is set for 2 p.m.

RECAP California: 6-4
Hawaii: 5-4

BOX SCORE

	1	2	3	4	F
UH	2	0	1	1	4
Cal	5	4	1	2	12

SCORING
Cal: Needles 2, Fleener 2, Cesnik 2, Lorenz, Arnold, Chlebicki, Nelson, Lachowicz, Graham.
UH: Kocher 2, Van Hoff, Gnadt

GOALIE SAVES
Cal: Dennis 4, Quintanilla 4
UH: Tackabern 6.