The #12 UCSB women’s water polo team is determined to end their two-game losing streak against Hawaii today at 4 p.m. at Campus Pool.

The Gauchos (13-14 overall, 2-5 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) showed their resiliency in their games against #11 Loyola Marymount University (18-5) and #17 Long Beach State (7-12, 3-5 MPSF) last week, but they couldn’t hold it together and lost 9-7 and 8-7.

“We have been working on our defense and working on our offense that will help us through the game and win,” Head Coach Danielle Altman said. “We need to attack Hawaii and we need to be more aggressive. They don’t have the same depth that we do, so hopefully that will help us.”

Santa Barbara will have to be on top of its game, as Hawaii (11-8, 7-3 MPSF) pulled an upset against #4 Cal (9-8, 5-4 MPSF) last week – defeating them 10-9 – and will be looking for a conference victory against the Gauchos. However, Altman feels her squad will be up for the challenge and is confident UCSB will do well.

“[Hawaii] will always be a tough team to play, but we always play tough with them,” Altman said. “The games against Hawaii are always interesting and close. It can go one way or another. I feel confident, as we have been working on our outer shooting and counterattacks on the offensive side.”

In UCSB’s last match, freshman utility Christie Clark led the Gauchos with two goals against LMU. Santa Barbara won the first sprint and scored 1.5 minutes into the first quarter on a goal by sophomore utility Gillian Morgan, before Loyola responded with the tying goal from sophomore driver Nicole Hughes. Gaucho goalie Jenny Gonzales had six saves, including one on a five-meter penalty shot.

Senior utility Zizi Clark scored in the second quarter, along with sophomore defender Amanda Tipton, to make the score 3-3. The Lions were able to score two additional goals, but senior center Sarah Kovach netted one past the Lions’ goalie Kaylee Caster to bring the deficit to one. Both team’s defense was impenetrable in the third quarter, until the Lions scored at the 1:40 mark to make it 6-4.

UCSB won their fourth sprint of the day in the fourth quarter, allowing Clark to score from seven meters, but the Lions scored 19 seconds later to bring the score 8-5. Clark scored her second goal with 5:13 remaining, followed by another goal from Morgan at the 3:31 mark to bring the Gauchos within two. UCSB could not net another goal and the Lions secured the victory the 9-7 victory.