IRVINE, Calif. – No. 5 UC Irvine dropped an 11-8 decision to No. 4 Hawaii at the Anteater Aquatics Center Friday night.
At 2:16 of the first period, UCI graduate student
Tara Prentice scored to stand alone atop the UCI career goals list then added another in the second quarter for a school record 226 all-time.
Hawaii still stands undefeated in Big West action, 5-0 and go to 14-5 overall. UCI goes to 17-6 overall and 3-1 in league action.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
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Piper Smith,
Elena Flynn and
Kennedy East joined Prentice with two goals
>Goalkeeper
Faith Tedesco recorded one save, while Hawaii keeper Molly DiLalla had 13 saves
>Morgan McDowall had a game-high five goals for the Rainbow Wahines
FIRST PERIOD
>Hawaii had a backhand by Morgan  McDowall at 4:44 to start the scoring
>At 2:16,
Tara Prentice fired a skip shot from the left side to make history on a powerplay goal, 1-1
>Defense was paramount as only two goals were scored in the first eight minutes
SECOND PERIOD
>Hawaii would score two quick goals until Prentice answered at 6:04 on a pass from
Toni Shackelford, 3-2
>Hawaii would score the next five (5:33, 4:39, 3:45, 1:15, :21), one a breakaway, to increase the lead to 8-2
>
Kennedy East would stop the drought, scoring with one tick left on the clock, 8-3
THIRD PERIOD
>With the advantage,
Elena Flynn bounced the ball in the net at 5:10 from
Kili Skibby, 4-8
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Piper Smith lobbed the ball over the keeper at 3:15 to draw UCI to 5-8
>The Rainbow Wahine answered quickly with two goals (2:56, 2:01) from the hole to regain momentum and end the quarter with the 10-5 advantage
FOURTH PERIOD
>East put away a cross cage goal at 5:12 then Flynn fired a skip shot in the back of the net at 4:29 to edge UCI closer, 7-10
>Hawaii notched a goal at 3:45 then Toni Shackleford stole the ball that led to a one-on-one for Smith who buried it at 1:59 for the final goal of the game
NOTES
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Kili Skibby improved her assist total to 17
>Hawaii has won the last eight meetings
>The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for the 'Eaters
UP NEXT
>UCI will entertain No. 10 UC Davis on Sunday (Apr. 10) at the Anteater Aquatics Center at noon.