March 2, 2008
STANFORD, Calif. - Goals from eight different players and four multi-goal performances lifted No. 2 Stanford to a 12-6 victory over No. 10 Arizona State Sunday at Avery Stadium. The win completes a weekend sweep for the Cardinal and improves the team's record on the year to 11-2 overall and 3-0 in MPSF play.
Koree Blyleven, Kelly Eaton, Kelsey Holshouser, and Lauren Silver each scored twice against the Sun Devils, while Jacquelyn Gauthier, Kira Hillman, and Megan May all scored, and sophomore Alex Koran netted a goal in her season debut.
The Cardinal defense also played a pivotal role in the contest, especially in 6-on-5 situations. Despite being whistled for 10 exclusions and a five-meter penalty, Stanford held Arizona State to a paltry 3-for-10 success rate, while converting on its only extra-attacker opportunity.
Freshman Amber Oland was rocksteady in the cage once more, making six saves and keeping Arizona State (11-8, 1-3 MPSF) out of the net for much of the afternoon, which allowed the Cardinal to build a big lead early on.
That fast start saw Stanford score three times in each of the first two periods, and take a 6-2 lead into the break. Oland's play in the cage limited the Sun Devils to just one goal in each of the first three periods, as Stanford poured it on with four third-period scores to stretch its lead to 10-3 heading into the final period.
With the victory, the Cardinal remain perfect in MPSF play, and will now hit the road for four games next weekend.
Stanford opens up the road trip with a 4 p.m. contest at UC Santa Barbara Friday, March 7, then clashes with top-ranked UCLA Saturday, March 8, at 1 p.m. The Cardinal close out the weekend Sunday, March 9, with an 11 a.m. contest at Pomona-Pitzer, followed by a 1 p.m. battle with Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.
Arizona State - 1 1 1 3 = 6
Stanford - 3 3 4 2 = 12
Stanford Goal Scorers: Blyleven 2, Eaton 2, Holshouser 2, Silver 2, Gauthier, Hillman, Koran, May
Arizona State Goals: McGrath 2, Wagner 2, Miles, Walsh
Goalie Saves: Oland 6 (S); Wallace 8, Morris 1 (ASU)