Lalelei Mata’afa takes aim during a game for the University of Hawaii in 2021. Matava, a graduate of Lahinaluna High School, has signed a one-year contract with AEK women’s water polo club in Greece. Hawi University Athletics Photo
Lalily hasn’t finished her water polo match yet.
After completing her sixth season as a center of the University of Hawaii, Matava heads overseas in September to compete in the AEK women’s water polo club in Greece.
“I still feel I can play at another level and I’m not ready to give up water polo yet, so it will be a great opportunity to cross the seas and show them what I have”, The Lahinalona High School graduate said on the phone Monday afternoon. “I’m so excited to go there and play with them.”
The AEK Women’s Water Polo Club is a division of AEK Sports Club, a long-standing major Greek multi-sports club based in Athens. The Golden Eagles play in the A1 Greek Women’s Water Polo League, the highest professional water polo league in Greece.
The championship is run by the Greek Swimming Federation, considered one of the best European national water polo championships. AEK finished fourth in the A1 league last season.
Laleli Matafa, who appeared during the UH match in 2020, said she is looking forward to her older sister Gina Bella, who played professionally in Italy and is now assistant coach at Penn State Bernd. “She taught me a lot in this sport and I want to make her proud,” said Lalily Mutafa.
Overall, Greece has a long tradition of strong water polo players and Matava is looking to expand her skills and learn some Greek as well.
“I’m excited to know more, but from what I was looking for and from what I know from talking to the manager and all is that they are a really good team, but they want to go one step further to be at the top of the standings” , Law said.
While competing in the Maui Interscholastic League, Matava helped the Lunas team win three consecutive championships. The two-time MIL Water Polo Player of the Year was also a Hawaii High School Athletics Association wrestling champion and a 2016 HHSAA Hall of Honor.
always been “My dream” To play professionally, he said. But the young athlete had big decisions to make when she entered collegiate athletics, whether she would compete in wrestling or water polo.
But one of my decisions was’ How can I keep playing after college? How can I keep doing what I love? “
Thus, he chose the water polo fanatic.
With a rainbow and two, Matava had the team’s highest shooting rate in 2021 as a rookie in the red jersey and scored the team’s second-most goals (28) in 2020 during the short pandemic season.
“I have loved every year and have learned to grow every year I was in UH”, Law said. “I will leave my wonderful teammates behind. My coach, Moe (Maureen Cole), also taught me a lot. I have talked to many of them and they are very passionate about me and are ready for me next step in my life ”.
Although Mutafa has never visited Greece, he is no stranger to Europe. I have traveled to Spain, Italy and Switzerland.
“I’m excited because I’ve always wanted to go there and of course I love water polo, so it’s a good opportunity to explore a place I’ve never been to before”, Law said. “I’m just trying to give it my all and increase how far we can go in the Greek championship.”
Older sister Gina Bella Matava played a professional role in Serie A, including with Rari Nantes Imperia as top scorer and as center-back with Rari Nantes Bologna, helping them in three league playoffs, according to her biography of Penn. State Behrend Athletics – Gina Bella is now assistant water polo coach for Lions.
“You taught me a lot about positioning and how to use the positions of others to improve your position,” disse Lal Mutafa. “I’m looking at it. She taught me a lot in this sport and I want to make her proud. She is already proud of me, but she is very excited about my chance to go. … You will cheer me up from afar but I will take everything you taught me and apply it to my situation in Greece ”.
Matava currently returned to Maui in the summer, visited family, swam, and trained in mixed martial arts, wrestling, and kickboxing.
His contract with AEK is currently set for one year, with the possibility of renewal.
“I’m not done yet, I still feel I have a lot to learn” Law said. “I am excited to take it to the next level. I am really excited to play for this team in Greece ”.
* Dakota Grossman is located at [email protected]
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Laleli Matafa, who appeared during the UH match in 2020, said she is looking forward to her older sister Gina Bella, who played professionally in Italy and is now assistant coach at Penn State Bernd. “She taught me a lot in this sport and I want to make her proud,” said Lalily Mutafa.
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Lalelei Mata’afa takes aim during a game for the University of Hawaii in 2021. Matava, a graduate of Lahinaluna High School, has signed a one-year contract with AEK women’s water polo club in Greece. Hawi University Athletics Photo
