April 5, 2008
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - The No. 2 Stanford women's water polo team extended its current winning streak to seven games Saturday afternoon, turning back a challenge from No. 3 USC with an 8-7 overtime victory. A three-goal outburst for the Cardinal (19-3, 8-1 MPSF) in the first overtime session broke open a 5-5 stalemate and proved to be enough against the Women of Troy (14-6, 7-2 MPSF).
Kelly Eaton led the way for the Cardinal on the offensive side of things with four goals, and goalkeeper Amber Oland stopped 11 shots to anchor the defense. Jacquelyn Gauthier, Kelsey Holshouser, Lauren Silver, and Heather West all added goals for the Cardinal in the contest, as well.
Two goals from Eaton and a score from Holshouser helped get the Cardinal out to a 3-0 lead in the second period before the Women of Troy bounced back with goals from Michelle Stein and Jordan Anae to cut Stanford's halftime advantage to 3-2.
USC would score two more goals to start the second half and take its first lead of the day at 4-3. Eaton, though, would pull the Cardinal even with 3:15 left in the period with a 6-on-5 score.
Tied 4-4 heading into the final period, the two defenses took over for a time. Neither team could break through until USC's Veronika Bartunkova found the back of the net with 3:23 remaining to put the Women of Troy up 5-4. The defenses locked down once more, until Eaton broke through with the equalizer from close range with 45 seconds showing on the clock. Oland then preserved the tie by saving USC's final attempt of regulation.
Yet the first overtime was all Stanford, as the Cardinal got goals from West, Silver, and Gauthier against just one for USC to take an 8-6 lead into the final session. USC could only manage one goal in that final overtime, and Oland's save of a Miranda Nichols backhand with 30 seconds left preserved the win.
The Cardinal return to Avery Stadium this weekend for its final regular-season homestand of the season. Stanford battles No. 6 California in the Big Splash at 7 p.m. Friday, April 11, then hosts No. 8 UC Irvine on Senior Day at 1 p.m. Sunday, April 13. Sunday will mark the final regular-season home contest for seniors Jacquelyn Gauthier and Megan Nesland.
Stanford - 2 1 1 1 3 0 = 8
USC - 0 2 2 1 1 1 = 7
Stanford Goal Scorers: Eaton 4, Gauthier, Holshouser, Silver, West
USC Goal Scorers: Stein 2, Anae, Bartunkova, Davies, Dronberger, Kiss
Goalie Saves: Oland 11 (S); Anae 13 (USC)