March 23, 2003
San Diego, Calif. - The second-ranked Stanford women's water polo team returned from a two-week break and its only loss of the season to hand the No. 6 San Diego State an 11-4 loss today at the Ray and Joan Kroc Center. Junior Brenda Villa (Commerce, CA) tallied three goals and goalkeeper Jackie Frank (Long Beach, CA) made eight saves to lead the way for the Cardinal.
The seven-goal defeat was the worst of the season for SDSU (12-7 overall, 3-4 MPSF), which had its three-game win streak snapped. Stanford (11-1), which fell to now-No. 1 UCLA in its previous game March 9, matched a season-high by an Aztec opponent with 11 goals in improving to 3-0 in the MPSF.
The Aztecs set the pace early and scored two of the first three goals of the game. Junior Holly Hartzell scored just 1 minute, 15 seconds in. After a Lauren Faust (Annapolis, MD) goal to answer, Amber Prestegard put SDSU up 2-1.
However, Stanford got its counter attack working late in the first period and ran off seven straight scores. Senior Julie Gardner (Atherton, CA) started and ended the run with scores and Villa also had two goals in the run as the Cardinal took an 8-2 lead into the half.
San Diego State's Kristin Moore got the third period off to a good start for the Aztecs by cleaning up a loose ball with Frank out of the cage to bring SDSU within 8-3. But again, Stanford responded with a run, this time three straight goals from Laurel Champion (Palo Alto, CA), Hannah Luber (Beaverton, OR) and Villa to take an 11-3 lead after three.
Aztec's Chelsy Smith capped the scoring at 11-4 by converting with 2:30 left in the game.
Seven different players tallied scores for Stanford, which was led Villa's three scores and Gardner and Luber each added two. Frank's eight saves included four stops in the first quarter.
SDSU received scores from four different players and goalie Ashley Zabel made seven saves.
Stanford will next host USC on Saturday, March 29, at 7 p.m. in the Avery Aquatic Center.
March 23, 2003 - No. 2 Stanford 11, No. 6 SAN DIEGO STATE 4 Ray and Joan Kroc Center, San Diego, Calif. 1234Total STAN443011 SDSU20114
Stanford Goals: Villa 3, Gardner 2, H. Luber 2, Champion, Faust, Shafer, Watkins Stanford Goalie Saves: Frank 8
SDSU Goals: Hartzell, Moore, Prestegard, Smith SDSU Goalie Saves: Zabel 7