April 22, 2005
Tonight at Avery Aquatic Center, the No. 3 Stanford Cardinal defeated the No. 10 San Jose State Spartans 13-5. Graduating seniors Hannah and Kelty Luber were honored at the start of the game with a short speech of recognition and bouquets from Head Coach John Tanner.
Starters Meridith McColl, Alison Gregorka, Hannah Luber, Scotti Shafer, Katie Hansen, Kelty Luber, and Christina Hewko got the Cardinal off to a speedy start when at 6:24 Hewko scored on a fast-break pass from Shafer. Sophomore Alison Gregorka captured a goal from outside 7 meters, then Katie Hansen scored on a fast break pass from goalie Meridith McColl, to bring the Cardinal up 3-0 at 3:32 in the first quarter.
Hannah Luber blocked 6-on 5 shot, but Rhodes captured a skip shot goal at the end of a 6-on-5 to put the first goal on the scoreboard for the Spartans. Katie Hansen created a turnover and got a quick pass to Hannah Luber that she swam in for a goal at 1:41 in the first quarter.
Stanford scored their first goal of the second quarter with a 6-on-5 skip shot from the outside that Hansen sunk into the goal at 6:27. Hewko then took an outside shot right after she was fouled outside 7 meters, surprising the SJ State goalie and netting a goal. On a 6-on-5 opportunity just a minute later, San Jose State surprised the Cardinal with a quick pass to to Cox on the inside to sink one into the net, bringing the score to 6-2 at 1:15 left in the second quarter. Cardinal senior Kelty Luber then captured her first goal of the game on a 6-on-5 opportunity for Stanford, helping the Cardinal to finish the half at 7-2.
In the third quarter, McColl came out of the goal to steal the ball, but SJ State's Morgan managed a lob shot into the goal to bring the Spartans up to 3 goals for the game. Scotti Shafer took a lob shot that drifted into the goal at 3:36 left in the third quarter, bringing the score to 8-3. Junior Nancy El-Sakkary recorded a goal less than a minute later when she capitalized on a man-up situation, scoring Stanford's 9th goal. SJ State's Cox, with two Cardinal defenders on her near the point, scored the Spartan's 4th goal at :50 left in the third quarter.
El-Sakkary got the Cardinal going at a quick pace with a fast shot into goal on a 6-on-5 opportunity at 6:32. McColl, always looking for the chance to turn a defensive strategy into an offensive opportunity, jumped out of the goal for a steal at 6:00 left in the fourth quarter. Scotti Shafer saw Alison Gregorka open near the goal, passed her an assist, which Gregorka sunk decisively into the net. Hewko, two possessions later, swam in a fast break for her third goal of the game. The Spartan's Scott managed an outside lob shot into the goal at 2:55 left in the game, giving SJ State their 5th goal. With just 2:13 left in the game, Megan May swam a fast break down the pool, drew a kickout, and swam in the ball to capture a sweet goal.
The Cardinal finished their ninth conference win 13-5, and look forward to their last conference dual tomorrow at the Big Splash in Berkeley at 7:00 PM.
Stanford scorers:
Hewko (3), El-Sakkary (2), Hansen (2), Gregorka (2), Shafer, Luber K., Luber H., May.
Saves: McColl (7)
SJ State scorers:
Cox (2), Scott, Morgan, Rhodes.
Saves: Hansell (8)