Oct. 14, 2007
IRVINE, Calif. - The No. 3 Stanford men's water polo team went on a wild ride Sunday afternoon in the championship bracket of the Southern California Tournament on the campus of UC Irvine, capturing a thrilling 10-9 sudden-death victory over No. 2 California in the semifinals before falling 11-6 to No. 1 USC in the evening. The Cardinal, who are now 8-4 on the season, leave the tournament with a second-place finish.
Facing off against the second-ranked Golden Bears for the first time this season, the Cardinal fell into a 3-1 hole after two periods of play. But little did the Cardinal know that this would set the stage for arguably its most thrilling contest of the year, as Stanford exploded for seven goals in the second half to bounce back and even things out at 8-8 at the end of regulation. Although Cal's Michael Sharf scored the lone goal in the first three-minute overtime period, freshman Alex Pulido answered with the tying goal in the second overtime, forcing a sudden-death period which saw senior Ryan Fortune find the net to complete the comeback effort.
Sage Wright led the Cardinal in the contest with a hat trick, while Fortune scored twice and Michael Bury, Andrew Drake, Jeffrey Schwimer, Pulido, and Janson Wigo all chipped in goals. Goalie Sandy Hohener came through once more in the cage, stopping 11 shots to assist in the effort.
The Cardinal then went on to the tournament's title game to face the top-ranked USC Trojans for the third time this season. Yet despite a pair of goals from Will Hindle-Katel and eight saves from Hohener, the Cardinal fell once again to the Trojans, as a six-goal second period brought USC (12-0) to a 9-3 halftime lead and eventually the 11-6 win and tournament title.
Stanford returns to Southern California once again next Sunday, Oct. 21, doubleheader, facing MPSF foe Long Beach State at 12 p.m. and then taking on Occidental at 4 p.m.
Stanford (8-3) 0 1 3 4 0 - 1 - 1 = 10
California (15-2) 2 1 3 2 1 - 0 - 0 = 9
Stanford Goal Scorers: Sage Wright 3, Fortune 2, Bury, Drake, Schwimer, Pulido, J. Wigo.Cal Goal Scorers: Michael Sharf 4, Andreyev, Monsees, Pearson, Reynolds, Warden.Goalie Saves: Hohener (S) 11; Sheredy (Cal) 10.
Stanford (8-4) 2 1 1 2 = 6
USC (12-0) 3 6 0 2 = 11
Stanford Goal Scorers: Hindle-Katel 2, Bury, Drake, McCarthy, J. Wigo.USC Goal Scorers: Buckner 4, Rappel 2, Sagehorn 2, Krumpholz, Sardo, Vranes.Goalie Saves: Hohener (S) 8; Shilling (USC) 8.