May 8, 1999
DAVIS, Calif. - Sophomore Kris Koblik (Davis, CA/Davis), playing in her hometown, scored twice to lead No. 2 Stanford to a 6-5 win over No. 3 California in the semifinals of the Collegiate National Championships Saturday afternoon at UC Davis. Stanford (25-5) advances to meet No 1 USC, a 5-4 winner over No. 4 UCLA, in Sunday's national championship game at 3:30 p.m. at Hickey Pool. It is the first time Stanford has played for the national title since a runner-up finish in 1986 and a national championship in 1985, when the Cardinal was a club team. In its first three years of competition since moving up to the varsity level, Stanford has finished fifth in 1996, fourth in 1997 and third a year ago.
Koblik earned a Golden Bear ejection and immediately scored 11 seconds into the game to get Stanford off to a strong start. "That was good getting the lead," Stanford Coach John Tanner said. "Susan (Ortwein, Stanford's assistant coach) came up with that play. We've run it twice and it worked both times." The Golden Bears responded with tremendous outside shots from Colette Glinkowski and Beth Irwin to take their only lead at 2-1, but Stanford sophomore Hilary Gallogly (Orinda, CA/Miramonte) scored on a 6-on-5 from outside to tie the game. Senior Lindsay Tam (Honolulu, HI/Punahou) scored on a cross-cage lob shot to give Stanford a 3-2 lead going into halftime.
Koblik drew another ejection and scored immediately again early in the third period, but Brenna Fleener connected on a long shot to bring Cal to within one again. Stanford senior goalie Heather Crary (Atherton, CA/Menlo School) then dropped a perfect pass in front of freshman Margie Dingeldein (Merced, CA/Merced) and Dingeldein converted on the counterattack to make it 5-3 Stanford at the end of the third period. Glinkowski scored on another long shot to cut the lead to one again early in the fourth, but Cardinal sophomore Kelly Shouey (Concord, CA/Carondelet) scored inside on a left-handed shot with 2:56 remaining. After the game, the right-handed Shouey called the move "pure instinct." Fleener scored again with 1:39 left for the Bears but Stanford's defense didn't allow the Bears a shot on goal during their last two possessions.
"They're really an explosive team," Tanner said of Cal. "When they get hot, they're unbelievable. They hit some incredible shots, but we stayed tough. That was really the key, our composure, and not giving up two goals at a time, except for their first two."
Crary, who is shooting for a fourth straight All-America honor this weekend, finished with eight saves for the Cardinal and has allowed only five goals in three games at Nationals. Fana Fuqua had four saves and Evi Schueller two for the Bears. It was the third consecutive year Stanford and Cal have met in the semifinals, with the Bears winning 6-5 in 1997 and 8-5 last year. It was the Cardinal's fourth win over Cal in six tries this season.
1 2 3 4 F #3 California 2 0 1 2 - 5 #2 Stanford 2 1 2 1 - 6
Scoring
California: Brenna Fleener 2, Colette Glinkowski 2, Beth Irwin
Stanford: Kris Koblik 2, Margie Dingeldein, Hilary Gallogly, Kelly Shouey, Lindsay Tam
Saves
California: Evi Schueller 2, Fana Fuqua 4
Stanford: Heather Crary 8
Records - Stanford 25-5, California 28-6