April 4, 2008
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - Make it seven in a row for the No. 2 Stanford women's water polo team as it cruised to a 13-4 victory Friday afternoon over No. 15 CS Northridge. Lauren Silver scored a team-high four goals as the Cardinal (19-3, 7-1 MPSF) built off of a 7-1 halftime lead to claim the win over the Matadors (10-14, 1-7 MPSF).
Along with Silver's four goals, the Cardinal also benefited from a pair of scores each by Kelly Eaton, Jacquelyn Gauthier, and Heather West. Kira Hillman, Kelsey Holshouser, and Megan May each added a single in the contest as well.
On defense, Amber Oland stopped eight shots to help the Cardinal keep its cushion and claim the win.
The Cardinal got off to a 2-0 lead early on in the first period thanks to goals 43 seconds apart from Eaton and West, then saw the Matadors get a score from Dayna Van Gorder to halve the lead at 2-1. But Stanford, riding its recent run of offensive outbursts, tallied five unanswered goals, three coming from Silver, to take a 7-1 lead into the break.
Another CS Northridge goal to start the second half was answered by a Cardinal surge, as four straight goals from Gauthier, Silver, Hillman, and May, respectively, to end the third period gave Stanford an 11-2 lead that would hold the rest of the way.
Stanford returns to action Saturday afternoon for a much-anticipated showdown with No. 3 USC at 12 p.m.
Stanford (19-3, 7-1 MPSF) 3 4 4 2 = 13
Cal State Northridge (10-14, 1-7 MPSF) 1 0 1 2 = 4
Stanford Scorers: Silver 4, Eaton 2, Gauthier 2, West 2, Hillman, Holshouser, May
CSUN Scorers: Van Gorder 3, Brookes
Goalie Saves: Jillian Stapf (CSUN) 11; Amber Oland (S) 8