Oct. 18, 2009
STANFORD, Calif. - No. 3 Stanford's offense came out with a roar in Sunday's 13-5 victory over No. 5 Pepperdine in MPSF water polo action, scoring six first-period goals and cruising from there for the win. The victory completes an undefeated weekend for the Cardinal, which improved to 14-1 overall and 2-0 in the MPSF.
The Cardinal head to Stockton next to continue MPSF play at Pacific on Friday, Oct. 23. Game time is set for 5:30 p.m.
Sophomore driver Jacob Smith scored a game-high four goals in the contest, with two of those coming in the first-period onslaught. Hat tricks were also turned in by Travis Noll and Janson Wigo, who each tallied three goals, while Ryan McCarthy, Alex Pulido and Jeffrey Schwimer all accounted for a goal as well.
Jimmie Sandman made six saves in the contest before giving way to freshman Scott Platshon late in the final period. Platshon would go on to make a save in the final minutes of action.
Sunday's contest was practically decided in the opening period, as the Cardinal scored on its first three possessions and ended up with a 6-1 lead after the first eight minutes of action. The barrage began just 58 seconds into the game as Noll walked in and fired home a shot from the point, the just 47 seconds after that Smith found the back of the cage to put Stanford up 2-0.
Pepperdine would cut the lead to one after J.P. MacDonnell converted a five-meter penalty shot at 5:23 the next time down for the Waves. But that goal did nothing to stop the Cardinal momentum, as Pulido put Stanford back up by a pair just 31 seconds later.
Smith would score again at 3:44, Noll would post a 6-on-5 goal 57 seconds after that and then Wigo would close out the scoring in the opening period by winging a shot inside the near post to make it 6-1 Cardinal.
The teams each managed a goal in the second period to make it 7-2 Stanford at the break, but in the third period the Cardinal offense would get back to business, getting goals from Noll and Smith in the opening two minutes of the half to go up 9-2.
After Pepperdine's Brett Auer notched a goal for the Waves, Stanford answered once more with goals from Wigo and McCarthy that made it 11-3. Wigo and Smith would end up rounding out the Cardinal goals in the final period.
Pepperdine - 1 1 2 1 - 5
Stanford - 6 1 4 2 - 13
Stanford Goal Scorers: J. Smith 4, Noll 3, J. Wigo 3, McCarthy, Pulido, Schwimer
Santa Clara Goal Scorers: MacDonnell 2, Auer, Gough, Lujan
Goalie Saves: Sandman 6, Platshon 1 (S); McLain 6 (P)