STAR-ADVERTISER / MAR. 10
Irene Gonzalez
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Both the frequency and timing of Irene Gonzalez’s scoring last week proved pivotal in the Rainbow Wahine water polo team’s three-match sweep.
The freshman from Spain scored 10 goals in that stretch, starting with the game-winner against No. 7 UC Irvine a week ago at Duke Kahanamoku Aquatic Complex.
>> Class: Freshman
>> Major: Kinesiology
>> Hometown: Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
>> Previous School:IES Car Sant Cugat
>> Quick Fact: Scored 23 goals to help Spain claim silver in the FINA World Junior Water Polo Championships last August.
Gonzalez hammered in the go-ahead goal with 13 seconds left to lift the fourth-ranked Rainbow Wahine to a 3-2 victory in their Big West opener.
In a nonconference match against No. 10 UC San Diego last Saturday, she scored twice in the final minute of regulation, firing the tying goal with one second left, and UH pulled out an 11-10 win in overtime.
Gonzalez ended the weekend with her fourth five-goal performance of the season in a 16-13 win over Cal State Bakersfield.
A member of Spain’s junior national team, Gonzalez leads UH with 53 goals in 21 games and has scored at least three goals in 10.
The Rainbow Wahine (16-5, 1-0 Big West) close a five-match homestand with a Big West matchup against No. 9 UC Davis (14-9, 0-1) at 6 p.m. Saturday at DKAC.
