Feb. 3, 2008
STANFORD, Calif. - The third-ranked Stanford women's water polo team wasted no time lighting up the scoreboard in Sunday's season-opener, racking up five first-period goals en route to a 16-6 victory at Avery Stadium over No. 19 Santa Clara. Lauren Silver led the way with five goals while freshman Kim Krueger netted a hat trick with three goals of her own.
The Cardinal got a pair of goals each from junior Koree Blyleven and sophomore Kelly Eaton on Sunday, while additional goals were contributed by Jacquelyn Gauthier, Kira Hillman, Kelsey Holshouser, and Megan May.
Defensively, freshmen Amber Oland and Kim Hall made their debuts in the cage, with Oland making 11 saves through the first three periods, before giving way to Hall, who stopped a pair of shots in the final period.
Silver, an All-America Honorable Mention performer a year ago, got her 2008 season off to the appropriate start, scoring the first four goals of the contest. Her first, on breakaway just 11 seconds into the game, set the tone for a day in which Stanford was consistently able to get behind the Santa Clara defense in transition.
Three more Silver goals followed at the 4:57, 3:54, and 2:10 marks of the first period, before Kelly Eaton netted her first of the year at 1:36 to give Stanford the 5-0 lead. Santa Clara's Claire Linney was able to convert a second-chance goal in a 6-on-5 situation with 18 seconds left to make it 5-1 after the first period.
The Cardinal onslaught continued into the second period, as Gauthier, Hillman, and Eaton all scored in the first 3:10 to make it 8-1 Cardinal and effectively sew things up.
Santa Clara managed to post three goals in the final period, with two coming from Brianna Anderson, to close out the scoring on the day.
The Cardinal will now prepare to host the Stanford Invitational next weekend, as eight of the nation's best come to Avery Stadium. Stanford will open up the tournament Saturday morning, Feb. 9, against the No. 11 Arizona State Sun Devils at 8:30 a.m.
Santa Clara - 1 1 1 3 = 6
Stanford - 5 4 3 4 = 16
Stanford Goal Scorers: Silver 5, Krueger 3, Blyleven 2, Eaton 2, Gauthier, Hillman, Holshouser, May
SCU Goal Scorers: Anderson 2, Harkins, Allie Lamb, Amy Lamb, Linney
Goalie Saves: Oland 11, Hall 2 (S); Capurro 7, White 1 (SCU)