May 14, 2005
Saturday at Canham Natatorium on the University of Michigan campus, Stanford stomped out USC with a final score of 5-4, allowing them to advance to the NCAA Championship game against UCLA tomorrow at 4:30 pm Eastern. Starters for the Cardinal tonight were Alison Gregorka, Katie Hansen, Kelty Luber, Hannah Luber, Scotti Shafer, Christina Hewko, and goalie Meridith McColl.
At 5:28 Eszter Gyori scores the first goal for USC from a quick crosscage shot from the outside perimeter. Moriah Van Norman scored USC's second goal at 3:39 left to go in the first quarter when the Cardinal were man-down. After a time-out, Scotti Shafer scored for Stanford at 2:28, with a crisp outside shot that sunk right into the top corner of the net. Jacquelyn Gauthier got a quick fast-break pass from Scotti Shafer, but with three USC defenders on her, couldn't convert, and the first quarter ended with USC ahead, 2-1.
McColl made a key save for Stanford at 5:25 to go in the second quarter when USC player Lauren Wenger managed a quick skip shot from near point. At 2:53 to go, Moriah Van Norman scored her second goal of the game as she escaped from two Cardinal defenders right at 2-meters, and dropped the ball over McColl's head. Two possessions later, USC's Wilson shot the ball from the outside into the low corner, but McColl again was able to stop the ball. An assist from Scotti Shafer to Hannah Luber at 1:13 got the ball into the net, bringing Stanford to within one, 2-3. Laurel Champion, defending Moriah Van Norman in set, made several crucial defensive moves that prevented USC from netting a goal during their next two possessions, ending the half at 2-3. At the end of the first half, Stanford had converted 0 out of 3 man-up situations, while USC had scored on 1 out of 4 opportunities.
With 5:30 to go in the third quarter, Stanford had two attempts on goal, but Alison Gregorka made a key steal from Anna Pardo, which Hannah Luber assisted to Katie Hansen for a goal at 5:11, tying the game at 3-3. When Champion was ejected at 3:45, McColl made a sweet save when Gyori tried a 1-2 pass into the goal, allowing Stanford to quickly take the ball down, which enabled Alison Gregorka to give Nancy El-Sakkary a wet-pass which she threw into the goal from set, surprising USC goalie Sarah Mix. That brought the Cardinal ahead 4-3 for the first time in the game. Scotti Shafer stole the ball at 2:34, but USC made a quick interception :15 seconds later to send everyone swimming back to the Cardinal's side of the pool. Soon Alison Gregorka drew an offensive against Lauren Wenger in set, giving Stanford another possession, but another offensive sent the Cardinal back. When USC failed to get a decent shot off, McColl recovered the ball and passed it to Laurel Champion, who was fast-breaking down the pool. Laurel Champion took the ball down to the goal, but with three USC defenders on her, she got off a strong shot that was saved by goalie Sarah Mix. The third quarter ended with the Cardinal up 4-3.
USC won their only sprint at the beginning of the fourth quarter (Hannah Luber had consistently won the last three sprints for Stanford), which got USC the chance to score, but Christina Hewko held the ball under in set against Moriah Van Norman, giving the Cardinal a quick transition to offense. They didn't convert, and USC's Figge' shot the ball, but Hannah Luber made a quick field block, and quickly swam down the pool where Christina Hewko got her an assist, helping Hannah Luber score her second goal of the game, sending the Cardinal up 5-3 with three-and-a-half minutes to go in the game. A scoreless minute followed, concluded by a goal from Brittany Hayes at 2:02 during a 6-on-5 opportunity for USC, bringing them to within one, 4-5. Katie Hansen got a shot into the net, but an offensive foul was called just a fraction of a second earlier, nullifying the goal. Anna Pardo tried to send a lob shot into goal at just over a minute left, but Meridith McColl blocked it with one hand. Just a few seconds later, the Cardinal were man-down, and Eszter Gyori made a shot at the goal from 2-meters, but Meridith McColl was right there to block the goal yet again with just her right arm, sending Stanford to the NCAA Championship game, defeating USC 5-4.
Stanford scorers: H. Luber (2), Hansen, El-Sakkary, Shafer.
Saves: McColl (9).
USC scorers: Van Norman (2), Hayes (1), Gyori (1).
Saves: Mix (9).