Sept. 14, 2007
STANFORD, Calif. - The run-and-gun action of the first quarter served as a sign of things to come Friday afternoon, as the fourth-ranked Stanford men's water polo team built an early advantage and kept things in control en route to a 17-8 season-opening win over no. 10 Navy at Avery Stadium.
Will Hindle-Katel led the attack with five goals on the day, notching his hat trick in the first quarter, while Drac Wigo and Michael Bury also turned in hat tricks of their own with three goals on the day. Sage Wright was the only other member of the Cardinal to collect multiple goals, scginor twice, while Andrew Drake, Ryan McCarthy, Jeffrey Schwimer, and Janson Wigo all added single tallies.
Things got off to a wild start in the contest, as both teams utilized their speed to light up the scoreboard. Hindle-Katel netted the contest's first goal seven seconds in, and added his second 55 seconds into the game aftr Navy had evened the score.
The Midshipmen would take a brief advantage in the next minute, going up 3-2 on an extraman goal by Reed MacKenzie at the 6:20 mark. But the Cardinal would storm back, scoring the next four goals, including Hindle-Katel's third, to take a 6-3 lead which would not be relinquished the rest of the way.
After the first quarter ended with Stanford ahead 7-4, the teams combined for only three goals before halftime, with the Cardinal ahead 9-5 at the break. Wright's goal a minute and a half into the third quarter then kick-started Stanford's 8-3 run the rest of the contest, which also saw the Cardinal outscore the Midshipmen 5-1 in the fourth quarter.
The Cardinal now travel to Berkeley this weekend to participate in the NorCal Open, starting with a 10:40 a.m. contest Saturday morning against the no. 16 Pacific Tigers.
Stanford (1-0) 7 2 3 5 = 17
Navy (6-2) 4 1 2 1 = 8
Stanford scorers: Hindle-Katel 5, Bury 3, D. Wigo 3, Sage Wright 2, Drake, McCarthy, Schwimer, J. Wigo
Navy scorers: Mulvey 3, Arnold 2, Bell, MacKenzie, Recko
Goalie Saves: na