The fifth-seeded University of Hawaii women's water polo team opened the 2008 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championship with a 15-11 victory over No. 12 UC Santa Barbara today at the Aztec Aquaplex in San Diego, Calif. The Rainbow Wahine improved to 19-8 overall, while the Gauchos fell to 5-19.

The Rainbow Wahine advance to the second round of the MPSF Championship against fourth-seeded San Diego State tomorrow at 12:50 p.m., Hawaii time at the Aztec Aquaplex. In their last meeting on April 8, SDSU beat UH, 10-7.

Today, the Rainbow Wahine were led by junior Angela Turnbull who scored a match-high five goals. Junior Kelly Mason followed with four goals.

Hawaii's Saara Majuri scored the first goal of the match and Turnbull scored on a six-on-five advantage to give UH a two-point lead. But a late goal by UCSB narrowed the score 3-2.

Despite scoring six goals in the second, twice on six-on-five advantages, UH trailed halfway through the period until Turnbull scored her third goal of the match at 3:32. UCSB also scored six goals and held UH to a 9-8 advantage at the half.

Hawaii dominated the second half, scoring five unanswered goals. Freshman goalie Serena Bredin also held the Gauchos to three goals. UH had a five-point lead until UCSB scored two consecutive goals with three minutes left in the fourth. Mason scored the final goal of the match with 32 seconds left to give the Rainbow Wahine a 15-11 victory.