LA JOLLA, Calif. – San Diego State sophomore attacker Claudia Valdes picked up her third consecutive game with a hat-trick, four goals Friday afternoon against No. 4-ranked Hawai'i, but the Rainbow Wahine put up 21 goals and defeated No. 22-ranked Aztec water polo team 21-7 at Coogan Pool at La Jolla High School on the first day of the 2024 Triton Invitational.
Valdes, who was a Golden Coast Conference All-Freshman Team and All-Tournament Team designee last year, has scored multiple goals in each of the team's games this season. Her four goals against Hawai'i are a season high and she leads the Aztecs (2-2) with 12 goals on 17 shots; a .706 shot percentage, which also is best on the team.
Klara Goldstein, a junior, found the back of the cage twice and freshman Makena Macedo tallied one goal. Sophomore Tiaare Ahovelo and freshman Ava Ratajczak split the game in goal. Ahovelo started, played the first 16 minutes, saved three shots, gave up 10 goals and took the loss. Ratajczak allowed 11 goals and made a pair of saves in the second half.
In the opening 3:39 of the game, Hawai'i (6-0) scored three straight goals. Goldstein stopped the run with her fifth of the season to make it 3-1. Twenty-Two seconds later the Rainbow Wahine got the goal back, but Valdes picked up her first of the game with 3:27 left on the clock. Hawai'i would score the final three goals of the first quarter and SDSU trailed 7-2.
In the second period, Goldstein and Valdes each scored their second goals of the game. Goldstein's came at the 5:27 mark, after a pair of Rainbow Wahine tallies, and Valdes' with 2:23 to go before the half, but the Scarlet and Black were down 10-4 after 16 minutes.
Coming out of the intermission, SDSU scored once in the third quarter; on a strike at the 3:02 mark from Macedo. The Aztecs surrendered five goals and were behind 15-5 heading to the final eight minutes.
In the fourth, Valdes got the hat trick with 7:28 left, which made the score 15-6, and her fourth goal came at the 6:10 mark. Hawai'i scored the final five goals in the 21-7 win.
The Aztecs are back in action at the Triton Invitational on Saturday, when the event moves to UC San Diego and SDSU plays No. 13 Long Beach State at 12:40 p.m. PT at the Canyonview Pool.
San Diego State: 2-2-1-2 - 7
Hawai'i: 6-4-5-6 - 21
San Diego State Goals: Valdes (4), Goldstein (2), Macedo (1)
Hawai'i Goals: Dias (5), Gomez de la Puente (3) Rojien (3), Stertefeld (3), Weston (3), Logan (1), Rios (1), Schorr (1), Wedderbum (1)
San Diego State Saves: Ahovelo (3), Ratajczak (2)
Hawai'i Saves: Logtens (9), Gurasich (4)
No. 22 Water Polo Falls to No. 4 Hawai’i in La Jolla
