Rainbow Wahine wade
into second round

Not even random drug testing that lasted nearly 5 hours after the match could put a damper on what coach Michel Roy called the greatest team effort by a Hawaii water polo team.

Freshman Iefke Van Belkum led a four-goal run with two scoring shots as Hawaii beat Loyola-Marymount 12-8 in the first round of the NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship yesterday at Canham Natatorium in Ann Arbor, Mich.

The Rainbow Wahine (21-9), in their first NCAA tournament, advanced to a semifinal match against top-seeded UCLA today. Roy said he did not expect to lose any players to the drug testing.

Fourth-seeded UH beat No. 5 LMU by attacking from the wings.

"Over the year that's what we've learned," Roy said. "We've learned that we have good firepower on the outside. Iefke has a great shot and so does Monika (Kruszona). We've got a few girls that can shoot the ball with power."

In addition to Ven Belkum and Kruszona, Darcy Scott-Hosaka and Beth Novick also scored two goals apiece.

Meike De Nooy made 15 saves for the Wahine.

Stacia Peterson led Loyola Marymount (28-8) with four goals. Roy was pleased that UH was able to limit Lions star Christine Robinson to one goal.

"My two concerns were Robinson because she's so big, fast and strong, and they have an Olympian goalie from Canada (Rachel Riddell) who is very good," Roy said. "But we played very good team defense and the girls shot well. This was probably the best team effort, ever, from a UH water polo team."

UH opened the scoring with a goal by Amy Logan, and Peterson's first tally tied it. Then Hawaii took control with its four-goal run late in the first half.

The Wahine scored on their first three possessions of the third quarter to build a 9-5 lead.

UCLA beat Wagner in another quarterfinal.

The Wahine have never beaten the Bruins in 22 matches, including four this season.

"We need an amazing effort," Roy said. "They have around 15 players from the U.S. national team, five former Olympians and they've been playing together way longer than us. But if we have the same effort we had today, it should be very competitive."

In one of their matches this year, UCLA beat Hawaii 6-5 with a last-minute goal.

"If we beat them once in our lifetime it would be good if it's tomorrow," Roy added.