March 29, 2008
STANFORD, Calif. - Fifteen days off from competition and a trip to Hawai'i did nothing to put a damper on the explosiveness of the No. 2 Stanford women's water polo team, as the Cardinal returned home and lit up the scoreboard with victories of 16-5 and 15-7 over Brown and No. 13 Long Beach State on Saturday. Stanford (17-3, 6-1 MPSF) got three hat tricks on the day as 13 different players registered a goal.
Kelly Eaton, Jacquelyn Gauthier and Lauren Silver each scored four goals over the two games to lead the Cardinal Saturday, while freshman Allie Gerrity posted her first collegiate hat trick in the afternoon win over Brown.
Goalkeepers Amber Oland and Kim Hall each got the chance to shine in the cage, with Oland making 10 saves on the day, including nine in the nightcap against Long Beach State. Hall stopped seven shots on the day, highlighted by five against Brown.
The Cardinal got off to a fast start in the opener, riding a seven-goal first period to an eventual 10-2 halftime lead over Brown (5-10) that it would never relinquish. Eleven Stanford players got on the board in the contest, led by Gerrity's hat trick, while on the defensive end, the Cardinal stymied the Bear attack in the 16-5 win. Oland got the start and made a save, and Kim Hall came on in relief, stopping five shots to highlight a fine day in the Stanford cage.
The Stanford fireworks returned for an encore in the evening, as Gauthier and Silver each registered a hat trick to pace the 15-7 win over No. 13 Long Beach State (11-11, 3-5 MPSF). The Cardinal led 3-2 after one period, then used five second-period goals to open an 8-3 halftime advantage. Five more goals in the third period, stretched the lead to 13-6 in favor of the Cardinal, and the 49ers could not recover.
Gauthier and Silver continued their stellar play this season as each posted three goals against the 49ers. Eaton, Kira Hillman, Megan May, and Heather West chipped in with two goals apiece, and Kim Krueger added a single.
Oland stopped nine shots in three periods of action, while Hall made a pair of saves in her time in the cage.
Stanford returns to action Sunday afternoon at 12 p.m., traveling to Monterey to face off against the Otters of CSU Monterey Bay.
Brown - 1 1 2 1 = 5
Stanford - 7 3 2 4 = 16
Stanford Goal Scorers: Gerrity 3, Eaton 2, Holshouser 2, Krueger 2, Blyleven, Clopp, Gauthier, Gunderson, Koran, May, Silver
Brown Goal Scorers: Glick 2, Presant 2, Berroth
Goalie Saves: Oland 1, Hall 5 (S); Laing 8 (B)
Long Beach State - 2 1 3 1 = 7
Stanford - 3 5 5 2 = 15
Stanford Goal Scorers: Gauthier 3, Silver 3, Eaton 2, Hillman 2, May 2, West 2, Krueger
Long Beach State Goal Scorers: Wawrzynski 4, Denaro 2, Emerick
Goalie Saves: Oland 9, Hall 2 (S); Stagier 11 (CSULB)