It ended with the entire Hawai'i water polo program giddily celebrating in the Duke Kahanamoku Aquatic Center pool, coach Michel Roy's orange Crocs floating in front of the mob.

The seventh-ranked Rainbow Wahine's 10-9 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation upset of fourth-ranked California yesterday gave them the inside lane to a third consecutive NCAA Championship appearance. That it came after 32 minutes of madness, with disappearing goals and no discernible edge for either team, and before 200 on Senior Day, only made it sweeter.

"This was everything," Roy said. "If we were to lose we wouldn't have had a chance to go to NCAAs unless we won the conference, which is almost impossible."

Hawai'i (11-8, 7-3 MPSF) now plays two MPSF matches and two non-conference matches in California, then heads to the MPSF Championship in Arizona. The goal between now and then is to get better — together.

Four Rainbow Wahine had been at World Championships the last three weeks. Senior Meike De Nooy was backup goalie for ninth-place Netherlands. Kelly Mason, Anna Sieprath and Amy Logan played for New Zealand. All returned from Melbourne Friday.

Mason, second in MPSF scoring and just a sophomore, led the world in scoring Down Under. She had two goals yesterday, as did Lisa van Raalte. Logan and Angela Turnbull scored three apiece. De Nooy, the MPSF's top-ranked goalie, had nine saves.

The score was 4-4 after the first period and 5-5 at the half. Turnbull had a goal taken away after referees discovered a Rainbow had returned to the pool too soon after an ejection. The clock was turned back to where the mistake was made and Turnbull got the goal back on an assist from senior Kristy Bagnall.

Roosevelt graduate Brittany Dames, the third and final 'Bow playing her last home game, helped anchor a defense that held Cal (8-8, 4-4) to a single goal in the third quarter. De Nooy was also clutch, stopping a point-blank shot in the final seconds to keep Hawai'i ahead 7-6 going into the final quarter.

Mason's long shot put UH up two — the game's biggest gap. But the Bears caught the 'Bows with 3:12 to go on a goal by Grace Reynolds — Cal's leading scorer and one of 10 freshmen.

Logan put Hawai'i back ahead, this time for good, inside 2 minutes. The crucial win was clinched the next two possessions, when Cal missed a penalty shot and Van Raalte powered in a goal immediately after a foul down low, with :52 showing.

The party started soon after. Dames won't miss morning practices, but the spontaneous senior celebration emphasized how much she'll miss everything else.

"So many incredible people on this team," Dames said. "You learn a lot from life this way, dealing with stress and seeing everything from different sides."

The Bears played without three-time All-American Elsie Windes. Their only senior helped the U.S. to a 6-5 victory over Australia in yesterday's World final.

Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com.