Feb. 14, 2009
Boosted by 20 combined goals from its freshman class Saturday, the second-ranked Stanford women's water polo team swept to victories of 19-7 and 19-4 over Sonoma State and UC Santa Cruz, respectively, at Avery Aquatic Center.
The victories improve Stanford's record to 7-1, 1-0 MPSF, while Sonoma State falls to 1-5 and UC Santa Cruz to 2-4 overall.
The Cardinal's talented freshman class had its turn in the spotlight Saturday, as Melissa Seidemann led the group (and the team) with seven goals on the day. The Walnut Creek native scored four times in the opener against Sonoma State then added three more against UC Santa Cruz.
Cassie Churnside and Pallavi Menon added hat tricks against the Banana Slugs in the afternoon, while Mimi Bury scored twice in the contest, Monica Coughlan tallied a score and Alyssa Lo chipped in a goal to each victory.
Kelly Eaton posted a hat trick in the morning against the Seawolves, while Kim Krueger and Chelsea Smith-Carmichael each score three goals on the day.
Kim Hall handled goalkeeping duties in both contests, making a total of 12 saves in the victories.
In the morning, Stanford got out to a 2-0 lead within the first 2:59 on a penalty shot from Eaton and an even-strength score from Jessica Steffens. Yet the Seawolves would fight back by sandwiching a Kelsey Holshouser goal with scores from Andrea Brookbank and Samantha Mullins to make it 3-2.
But the Cardinal would turn up the heat, as Churnside, Seidemann and Eaton all scored over the span of 1:57 over the end of the first and beginning of the second period to make it 6-2. Sonoma State would hang for a little longer in the period, trailing just 9-6 with 2:23 before the half, but Seidemann's goal 18 seconds later would start a 6-0 Stanford run that stretched to the 2:41 mark of the third period and effectively sealed off any Sonoma State hopes for an upset.
Koree Blyleven would score four goals in that stretch, while Allie Gerrity also added a goal in the fourth period of the 19-7 victory.
A few hours later, the Cardinal took to the pool against the Banana Slugs and immediately took the wind out of the UC Santa Cruz sails by going up 5-1 after the first period. Krueger and Seidemann got the scoring started in the opening 2:06, and after UC Santa Cruz halved the lead at the 5:27 mark, Stanford went on a nine-goal run that concluded with Churnside's score 1:12 into the third period to make it 11-1.
Seidemann got her hat trick with her third goal at the 3:30 mark of the second period, while Krueger and Churnside added 6-on-5 goals over the stretch, as well.
UC Santa Cruz would score three goals in the third period, which ended with the Cardinal ahead 13-4. Although from that point on, it was all Stanford, as the Cardinal scored all six goals of the fourth period, including a five-meter penalty shot from Smith-Carmichael and a score from Jenna Gunderson. Coughlan and Bury finished the scoring over the final 2:06 of the game.
Stanford leaves the Bay Area for the first time this season next weekend, traveling to Irvine for the Irvine Invitational. Placed in Bracket B with UC San Diego, Loyola Marymount and San Jose State, the Cardinal opens up tournament play next Saturday, Feb. 21, with a 9 a.m. contest against UC San Diego at Corona del Mar High School.
Sonoma State - 2 4 1 0 = 7
Stanford - 5 6 6 2 = 19
Stanford Goal Scorers: Blyleven 4, Seidemann 4, Eaton 3, Churnside, Gerrity, Holshouser, Lo, Krueger, Menon, Smith-Carmichael, Steffens
Sonoma State Goal Scorers: Brookbank 3, Mullins, Smith, Stricklin, Watt
Goalie Saves: Hall 5 (S); Lombard 5, Uliana 3 (SSU)
UC Santa Cruz - 1 0 3 0 = 4
Stanford - 5 5 3 6 = 19
Stanford Goal Scorers: Churnside 3, Menon 3, Seidemann 3, Bury 2, Krueger 2, Smith-Carmichael 2, Coughlan, Gunderson, Holshouser, Lo
UC Santa Cruz Goal Scorers: Stewart 2, Keating, Ward
Goalie Saves: Hall 7 (S); Parra 5 (UCSC)