Oct. 22, 2008
STANFORD, Calif. - It was a successful return home for the No. 2 Stanford water polo team Wednesday, as the Cardinal recorded a 10-4 victory over No. 17 Pacific in its first home game in over a month. Will Hindle-Katel netted three goals to pace seven Stanford goal scorers as the Cardinal improved to 16-2 overall and 2-0 in MPSF play.
Along with Hindle-Katel's hat trick, the Cardinal received a pair of goals from Andrew Drake, while individual goals were recorded by Alex Pulido, Jeffrey Schwimer, Drac Wigo, Janson Wigo and Sage Wright. On the defensive end, goalkeeper Jimmie Sandman stopped eight shots as the unit allowed just four goals and held the Tigers (9-13, 0-2 MPSF) scoreless in the final period.
Within the opening 2:13 of the contest, each team had already netted a goal, as Janson Wigo got the Cardinal on the board first 1:17 into the contest, and Pacific's Will Milcovich answered with a power-play score. Yet Stanford would immediately take charge of the contest, earning an extra-man advantage just twelve seconds later and scoring on the restart thanks to a quick shot by Hindle-Katel.
From that point, the Cardinal would go on to score four more goals until the Tigers managed to get one by Sandman with 2:01 left in the half. The first two of those Stanford goals came Schwimer converted a 6-on-5 situation with 3:02 to go in the first period, and Drake netted an even-strength score just 50 seconds later. The Cardinal then scored the first two goals of the second period thanks to Wright and Hindle-Katel to take the 6-1 lead.
Despite Joey Rossi's goal that made it 6-2, Drake's shot from the right wing found its way past Tiger goalkeeper Brian Domecus with 58 seconds left in the half and the Cardinal went into the break with a 7-2 lead.
The teams traded goals in the third period, but in the fourth, the Cardinal defense clamped down, keeping the Tigers out of the cage while Hindle-Katel completed his hat trick on a breakaway shot with 6:09 remaining.
Stanford closes out its two-game homestand Saturday afternoon with a 12 p.m. contest at Avery Aquatic Center.
Pacific - 1 1 2 0 = 4
Stanford - 4 3 2 1 = 10
Stanford Goal Scorers: Hindle-Katel 3, Drake 2, Pulido, Schwimer, D. Wigo, J. Wigo, Sa. Wright
Pacific Goal Scorers: Milcovich 2, Hollis, Rossi
Goalie Saves: Sandman 8 (S); Domecus 4 (P)