March 6, 2004
STANFORD, Calif. - The Cardinal women's water polo team returned home from two weeks on the road and never missed a beat, handing the visiting San Diego State Aztecs a sound 6-1 defeat in a MPSF conference match. Katie Hansen led the way for the Cardinal by quickly giving Stanford the lead after the Aztecs posted an early score. The Cardinal used more scoring and an intense defensive effort to keep San Diego State out of the cage for the remaining three periods of action.
The Cardinal got into trouble early in the first quarter when Lauren Faust got whistled for a foul at in the 2-meter zone, prompting her ejection and a penalty shot for SDSU's Sandy Onweller who made made good on the score with 4:36 remaining in the period. However, the Aztecs would be unable to find the net for the remaining 25:36 due to stifling defense by the Cardinal and some acrobatic saves by goalkeeper Meridith McColl who finished with seven saves.
Stanford was undeterred and refused to lose on an unusually warm March night. Hansen quickly responded with two goals less than two minutes apart. The second came with 39 seconds left in the first period and during a 6-5 opportunity. Hansen got the pass inside the 2-meter zone from freshman Christina Hewko and placed a perfect lob over the outstretched arms of Aztec keeper Ashley Zabel.
In the second, the Cardinal scored three more times on goals by Scotti Shafer, Nancy El-Sakkary, and Kelty Luber. Shafer stripped the ball from an Aztec player, swam down the length of the pool and snuck one into the back of the cage with 1:13 remaining in the half.
Stanford's defense shined all night and was especially good at the end the first half when, after a Laurel Champion ejection with 19 seconds remaining, they hounded SDSU during the ensuing 6-5 opportunity and prevented them from even getting a shot off. This was just one of several 35 second shot clock violations by the Aztecs during the night.
The second half of the match up was a very defensive game with both goalkeepers racking up saves. After allowing five goals in the first half alone, the SDSU defense frustrated the Cardinal during the second half, forcing many Stanford shots to hit the bars of the cage or were saved by Zabel. The lone score of the half was provided by senior Lauren Faust, who managed to find the back of the net with 3:57 left in the third period.
The Cardinal women play again tomorrow, March 7 at noon in an MPSF conference match up against visiting Arizona State.
NOTES: Wendy Watkins was unable to score tonight making this the only match she has been held scoreless during all season, breaking her impressive streak at 11 games...Katie Hansen's two scores have extended her scoring streak to four games; she has had five goals during that span...El-Sakkary ended her scoring drought at four games with her seventh goal of the season...McColl's seven saves and one goal allowed marks the fifth time this season she has had as many or more saves than goals allowed
Game Summary
1234TOTAL
Stanford23106
SDSU10001
Stanford Scorers: Hansen 2, El-Sakkary, Faust, K. Luber, Shafer
SDSU Scorers: Onweller
Goalie Saves: McColl (Stanford) 7; Zabel (SDSU) 7