HONOLULU, Hawaii - The Marist water polo team will compete in the Rainbow Invite this weekend, hosted by the University of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors at the Duke Kahanamoku Aquatic Complex. The Red Foxes will compete in three total matches over the course of the weekend, and will be seeking their first win of the regular season. Along with Hawaii and Marist, the other two teams competing are San Diego State University and Sonoma State University.
 

COLLEGE WATER POLO PRESEASON POLL

The Red Foxes were selected No. 22 in the CWPA Preseason Poll, it was announced on Jan. 16. The team finished the 2018 season ranked No. 23, and will look to improve on that this upcoming season. 
 

SCHEDULE – EASTERN STANDARD TIME

Saturday, Jan. 19
3:30 p.m. – Marist at Hawaii
11:00 p.m. – Marist vs San Diego State
 
Sunday, Jan. 20
2:00 p.m. – Marist vs Sonoma State
 

LAST TIME OUT

Last weekend, the Red Foxes opened their season at the Sun Devil Invitational, hosted by No. 5 Arizona State. Marist competed in five matches in the tournament, one of which was a regular season game. The team opened the weekend with a 16-8 loss by the hands of ASU to drop to 0-1 on the season. After the game, the Red foxes squared off against NYAC in an exhibition, and were defeated 17-11. The last game of the day was a rematch against ASU in an exhibition, but Marist dropped that game by a score of 10-5. On Sunday, the team played a double header (both exhibition games) against the Chinese National Team. The Red Foxes lost game one to the 2018 Asian Games Champions by a score of 22-6, and then dropped game two, 23-6.
 

SCOUTING THE COMPETITION

• Hawaii's game against Marist will be its very first game of the 2019 season. The school was selected No. 6 in the College Water Polo Association Preseason Poll. In 2018, the Rainbow Warriors finished 21-5 overall, and 5-0 in the Big West. Although they went undefeated in the regular season, the Rainbow Warriors lost in the Big West tournament title game to UC Irvine in sudden-victory overtime. Hawaii's leading goal scorer from last year, Irene Gonzalez (52 goals), returns this year as a senior with hopes to rebound from last years loss and win the Rainbow Warriors a conference championship.
• No. 19 San Diego State will open its season against Sonoma State, just hours before its game against Marist. The Aztecs finished last season 15-16 overall, and 5-2 in conference play. Emily Bennett was the leading goal scorer for SDSU as a freshman last season, with 52 goals. Also returning is senior goalkeeper Maura Cantoni, who made 229 saves last season.
• Sonoma State will close out the tournament with a game against Marist. The Rainbow Invite will also be the first game action for the Seawolves this season. Last year, Sonoma State finished with an 8-19 record. The Seawolves lost in the semifinals of the Women's Water Polo Association tournament to #12 UC San Diego. They went on to win the third-place game of the tournament against Cal State Monterey Bay 9-8 in double overtime. Taylor Brooks led Sonoma State with 36 goals, and will begin her senior season this season.

 

UP NEXT

The Red Foxes travel to Providence, Rhode Island on Saturday, February 2. While there, they will take on both the Brown Bears and the Bucknell Bison.