Feb. 22, 2009
Irvine Invitational Final Day Results
IRVINE, Calif. - They were close, and they were dramatic, but the No. 2 Stanford women's water polo team hung tough and gritted out a pair of one-goal victories Sunday, the second of those wins a 12-11 sudden-death win in the tournament final against top-ranked USC that gave the Cardinal its second Irvine Invitational championship in three years.
Stanford (11-1, 1-0 MPSF) defeated No. 3 Hawai'i (9-5), 11-10, in the morning semifinal to reach the championship final, where the victory over USC sullied the previously unblemished record of the Women of Troy (10-1).
On the day, freshman Melissa Seidemann scored seven goals, four in the semifinal victory and three, including the tournament-winner in sudden death, in the victory over the Women of Troy in the evening. Kelly Eaton, Kim Krueger and Lauren Silver all netted three goals on the day, as well.
Against USC, the Cardinal battled its way to a 2-0 lead after the opening period, and stretched the lead to 5-2 at the break. Yet the Women of Troy would regroup and make a run in the second half, cutting the Cardinal lead to two at 8-6 by the end of the third period, then tying the game at 8-8 in the fourth.
From there, Krueger re-established the Cardinal lead with her lone goal of the contest, but USC would answer, knotting things up once again, this time at 9-9. Freshman Pallavi Menon would put Stanford in front once more with 2:07 to play, but again, the Women of Troy equalized, getting a goal 29 seconds later. As each team failed to convert its remaining chances for the go-ahead goal before the end of regulation, the game went into overtime tied 10-10.
There, the squads battled to a stalemate during the first session. The stalemate was finally broken by Eaton's goal in the second session, but USC would take advantage of a Stanford exclusion with about a minute left to play, getting a 6-on-5 goal to tie things up at 11-11.
USC won the opening sprint of the sudden-death period and moved in for the decisive blow, but could not convert as the Cardinal defense dug in and made a nice stop to earn a chance to close things out.
The Cardinal would end up only needing that one opportunity, capitalizing thanks to Seidemann, who took a pass at two meters and buried the golden goal, giving Stanford a 12-11 victory and the tournament title.
Earlier in the day, Stanford rode Seidemann's four goals, as well as two each from Eaton, Krueger and Silver, and one from Jessica Steffens to the win over the Rainbow Wahine.
Although a high-scoring first period saw the Rainbow Wahine ahead 5-4, the Cardinal defense stiffened, limiting Hawai'i to just five more goals the rest of the way.
Amber Oland worked the whole day in the cage Sunday, making seven saves against Hawai'i before stopping five shots in the title game against USC.
Stanford will return home next weekend, hosting the No. 8 San Jose State Spartans Saturday, Feb. 28, for a 1 p.m. contest at Avery Aquatic Center.
Hawai'i - 5 1 2 2 = 10
Stanford - 4 3 1 3 = 11
Stanford Goal Scorers: Seidemann 4, Silver 2, Eaton 2, Krueger 2, Steffens
Hawai'i Goal Scorers: van Raalte 3, Van der Moolen 2, C. Eggens 2, M. Eggens, Mason, Motekaitis
Goalie Saves: Oland 7 (S); Bredin 8 (H)
Stanford - 2 3 3 2 0-1 1 = 12
USC - 0 2 4 4 0-1 0 = 11
Stanford Goal Scorers: Seidemann 3, Menon 2, West 2, Blyleven, Coughlan, Eaton, Krueger, Silver
USC Goal Scorers: Bekhazi 2, Craig 2, Dronberger 2, Stein 2, Tomiuk 2, Lucas
Goalie Saves: Oland 5 (S); Anae 5, van der Meijden 3 (USC)