Women’s Water Polo Falls In Big West Championship Final To Hawai’i, 14-9

Sunday, April 12

Long Beach, Calif.

2 p.m.

Long Beach State University

17-11

Hawai'i

16-5

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
Long Beach State	2	2	3	2	9
Hawai'i	2	5	3	4	14

Photo by: John Fajardo

Women’s Water Polo Falls In Big West Championship Final To Hawai’i, 14-9

4/12/2026 3:43:00 PM | Women's Water Polo

Box Score

Chiara Amoroso led the Beach with three goals.

By: Luiza Moraes - Athletic Communication Assistant

LONG BEACH, Calif. – A 4-0 run to start the fourth quarter helped the Rainbow Wahine pull away from Long Beach State in the Big West Championship final, as Hawai'i defeated the Beach 14-9 Sunday at the Ken Lindgren Aquatics Center.

The two teams met once again in the Big West Championship finals, marking the third straight season that the Big West's automatic berth to the NCAA Championship would again be decided between the two top seeds.

After four minutes scoreless, Hawaii (16-5) scored back-to-back goals to open a 2-0 lead. Long Beach State (17-11) fought back to score with Chiara Amoroso and Rita Gurri, tying the game 2-2 after the first period.

Both teams traded penalty goals to open the second quarter before the Bows put together a 3-0 run to extend the lead to 6-3. Amoroso added her second of the game to close the gap, but a late goal by UH closed the first half with the Beach trailing 7-4.

In an intense third period, both teams kept trading goals as Hawai'i capitalized on two powerplays and a penalty shot, and the Beach added goals with Amoroso, Gurri and Zelma Koka to trail 10-7 with one period remaining.

UH's 4-0 run to open the last quarter set the tone of the game, leading 14-7. Two late goals by Lucy Miszewski closed the game as the Beach fell in the championship game, 14-9.

Long Beach State closes the season with a 17-11 record and stayed ranked in the top 10 throughout the season.