April 27, 2007
No. 1 Stanford entered the postseason with high hopes, and didn't disappoint Friday morning when they dispatched UC Irvine 17-5. This was a quarterfinal match of the MPSF Championships on the campus of Arizona State University. The Cardinal raced out to an 8-2 halftime lead and scored six goals in the fourth quarter in the victory. Three players scored three goals and four scored two in the balanced scoring attack. Stanford now earns a spot in the MPSF semifinal against the winner of #4 seed Hawaii and #5 seed San Diego State.
Stanford dominated the first period by scoring all four goals and only forcing Meridith McColl to stop one shot. Jessica Steffens started the scoring with a goal at the 6:34 mark and Lauren Silver quickly followed her goal with one of her at 4:11. One minute later senior Alison Gregorka scored the Cardinal's third goal and Katie Hansen closed out the period with a goal at 2:01. Stanford led the match 4-0 after the first quarter.
The second quarter was more of the same for Stanford as Jacquelyn Gauthier scored the first three goals of the quarter to give Stanford a 7-0 lead. Gauthier scored her first goal at the 5:41 mark of the period and followed with another right after at the 5:01 mark in the quarter. Gauthier provided yet another goal at 3:41 for her third goal of the match. After two Irvine goals, Katie Hansen scored with 52 seconds left before halftime and Stanford went into the halftime break with an 8-2 lead.
After a yellow card by Irvine coach Dan Klatt, Jessica Steffens scored a six on five goal to give the Cardinal a 9-2 lead. Katie Hansen followed with two goals in the period sandwiched around an Irvine goal by Jackie Prine, and after three quarters, Stanford held an 11-2 lead.
The Cardinal opened up the offense in the fourth quarter by scoring six goals to further widen the lead. Koree Blyleven scored her first three goals of the season in the period and Kelly Eaton scored two of her own as well. Lauren Silver also added a goal in the final period to give Stanford the 17-5 victory. Meridith McColl also led the Cardinal to their 22nd consecutive victory by turning away four Irvine shots.
Stanford now advanced to the MPSF Championships semifinal match against the winner of Hawaii and San Diego State. That match is scheduled to begin at 3:20 PM at the Mona Plummer Aquatics Center. The semifinal match will take place April 28th at 2:20 PM.
Stanford Women's Water Polo Results:
April 27, 2007
MPSF Championships
Mona Plummer Aquatics Center
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ
Stanford 17, UC Irvine 5
Stanford 4-4-3-6-- 17
UC Irvine 0-2-1-2-- 5
Scoring:
Stanford - Hansen (3), Gauthier (3), Blyleven (3), Silver (2), Eaton (2), Steffens (2), Gregorka (2)
UC Irvine- Fancher (2), Prine (2), Rossi (1)
Saves: Stanford - Meridith McColl, STAN (4 saves)
UC Irvine - Lauren Machanis (3 saves)
Records- Stanford 24-1, 12-0 MPSF, 1-0 Postseason