No. 4 Cal outlasts No. 5 Hawai‘i 10-8 to move to 11-3

BERKELEY – California held its nerve in a top-five duel, beating Hawai‘i 10-8 at Spieker Aquatics Complex on March 15, 2026. The result gives the No. 4 Golden Bears their third win of the season over the No. 5 Rainbow Wahine and lifts Cal to 11-3 overall; Hawai‘i is now 11-4 in a matchup of two programs with consistent NCAA postseason ambitions.

Middle-period control proves decisive

After an even opening quarter, Cal created separation late in the first half with a three-goal burst that flipped control of the match. Julia Bonaguidi located Eszter Varró at the post for 5-4, Abbi Magee produced a key field block on a 6-on-5 before finishing a pass from Julianne Snyder for 6-4, and further defensive pressure led to Claire Rowell finding Varró for 7-4.

Hawai‘i’s push early in the third narrowed the gap to one, but Cal rebuilt a cushion with another three-goal stretch. Despoina Drakotou earned a 5‑meter penalty that Bonaguidi converted for her third of the day, Maria Bonachenko and Feline Voordouw combined on the counter for 9-6, and Drakotou fed Varró to make it 10-6. Hawai‘i struck late in the third and again in the fourth, but Cal managed the clock, limited clean looks, and saw out the final minutes.

Why the win matters

Victories over ranked nonconference opponents are central to NCAA selection and seeding. Cal’s third head-to-head win over a top‑five Hawai‘i strengthens the Bears’ résumé as the season builds toward conference play and the automatic berth awarded to the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation tournament champion, with at-large bids determined for the NCAA Women’s Water Polo Championship.

The NCAA women’s water polo postseason is governed by the national governing body’s championship procedures and selection criteria, which weigh overall record, strength of schedule, and results against ranked opposition under the NCAA governance framework. Within that system, results like Saturday’s give Cal leverage in committee discussions while also signaling form to future MPSF opponents.

Match facts

• Final score: No. 4 Cal 10, No. 5 Hawai‘i 8
• Date/venue: March 15, 2026 – Spieker Aquatics Complex (Berkeley, Calif.)
• Records: Cal 11-3; Hawai‘i 11-4
• Scoring by quarter: Cal 2-5-3-0; Hawai‘i 2-3-2-1
• Cal scorers (10): Julia Bonaguidi 3; Despoina Drakotou 2; Eszter Varró 2; Rosalie Hassett 1; Abbi Magee 1; Feline Voordouw 1
• Hawai‘i scorers (8): Agatha Weston 3; Ema Vernoux 2; Camille Radosavljevic 2; Ariadna Temprano Xambó 1
• Goalkeepers: Talia Fonseca (Cal) 5 saves; Daisy Logtens (Hawai‘i) 10 saves

Form and milestones

• Bonaguidi has recorded multiple goals in each of Cal’s last three games, underlining her emergence as a reliable perimeter scoring option.
• Drakotou’s brace marked her team-best 11th multi-goal outing of the season; she leads Cal with 34 goals and continues to anchor the attack in key conference and nonconference contests.
• Drakotou, Magee and Voordouw have each scored in 13 of Cal’s 14 games this season, providing a consistent spine across the lineup.
• Series note: Cal now leads the all-time matchup 40-15 and has won all three meetings in 2026, a trend that may factor into future scheduling and seeding conversations between the programs.

Next on the schedule

Cal returns to conference play next weekend, hosting Indiana in an MPSF matchup that doubles as Senior Day recognition for the program’s outgoing class – a group that has navigated pandemic-era eligibility changes, evolving NCAA name, image and likeness rules, and shifting roster-management decisions by campus and conference leadership.

• Indiana at Cal – Saturday, March 21, 2026, 1 p.m., Spieker Aquatics Complex (MPSF)