March 24, 2005
No. 3 Stanford (11-3, 4-1 MPSF), captured their fourth conference victory tonight with a close win over No. 8 UCSB (11-6, 2-3 MPSF). Following a two-week break from competition, this was the first home game for the Cardinal in almost five weeks.
Both teams emerged sluggish, and inaccuracy cost the Cardinal several missed shots, leaving the score to 0-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Shortly into the second quarter, sophomore Katie Hansen fired in the first goal for the Cardinal with 5:29 on the clock, initiating the momentum for Stanford. With 4:34 left in the quarter, junior Val Riss scored a crisp outside shot from 7 meters to put the Cardinal up 2-0. Only half a minute later, sophomore Christina Hewko sent a shot into the cage, giving the Cardinal a confident 3-0 lead.
Following an ejection on goalie Meridith McColl, UCSB's Dana Saign tossed a shot into goal, giving the Gauchos their first point of the night. When a 6-on-5 opportunity arrived for the Cardinal with only :07 seconds left in the first half, freshman Megan May stepped up to the challenge and fired in a goal with only :01 left on the clock, putting the Cardinal ahead by 3 at the half.
Hannah Luber scored the Cardinal's only goal of the third quarter with 5:23 on the clock, keeping the margin strong at 5-1. However, the Gauchos responded with a shot from Jennifer D'Anna and a goal from a 6-on-5 opportunity by Alaina Whitaker to bring them to within 2 points of the Cardinal at the end of the third quarter.
Stanford managed to score one more goal in the fourth quarter thanks to a lob shot from junior Laurel Champion, but couldn't stop UCSB from scoring two more goals to bring the final score to 6-5.
The Cardinal go back to work tomorrow to prepare for Saturday's game against the No. 2 USC Trojans, here at Avery Aquatic Center at 1:00 PM.
Results from tonight's game:
Scoring by quarters:
Stanford (0) (4) (1) (1)
UCSB (0) (1) (2) (2)
Stanford scorers: Champion, Riss, Luber H., Hansen, May, Hewko.
Saves: McColl (8)
UCSB scorers: D'Anna (2), Whitaker, Stachowski, Saign.
Saves: Medigovich (7)