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Hawaii women’s water polo attacker Bernadette Doyle was named the Big West Conference Women’s Water Polo Player of the Week on Wednesday.
The Auckland, New Zealand, native scored five goals and assisted on five more as the Rainbow Wahine (5-0) went 3-0 in the Rainbow Invitational this past weekend at Duke Kahanamoku Aquatic Complex. Doyle scored two goals in the home opener against Princeton, both in the first half, while setting up two more goals in a 10-6 win. Doyle scored another goal in an 18-3 win over Azusa Pacific the next day.
Trailing 2-0 against No. 5 Fresno State in the tournament finale, Doyle stole the ball, drew an exclusion, then scored to cut the deficit to 2-1. In the second half, Doyle assisted on a Bia Mantellato Dias goal, before scoring her second goal as UH took a 7-4 lead. Doyle finished with two goals and three assists as the Rainbow Wahine took down Fresno State 9-5.
The No. 4 Rainbow Wahine have collected both player of the week awards to start this season, as Mantellato Dias earned the same award last week. Doyle spent 2019 and 2020 at UH, but returned home to New Zealand for a few years. The junior returned to the team this season to earn her first career Big West Player of the Week award.
Doyle has scored eight goals this year with a team-high eight assists and 12 steals.
Next up for UH is the Triton Invitational in La Jolla, Calif., this week. The Rainbow Wahine will take on San Diego State on Friday at 10 a.m. at Coggan Family Aquatic Complex at La Jolla High School. The Wahine will play in two more bracket matches on Saturday before finishing the tournament on Sunday.
