Feb. 5, 2012
STANFORD, Calif. - Top-ranked Stanford held serve at its tournament for the third straight year, capturing the Stanford Invitational title with a 9-5 win over UCLA Sunday at Avery Aquatic Center.
Stanford (6-0) also defeated San Jose State, 11-6, in the morning's first game to add to an unbeaten weekend. The Cardinal takes on the Spartans again in the MPSF opener next Saturday at 12 noon in San Jose.
Junior goalie Kate Baldoni was a rock for the Cardinal Sunday, stopping 15 shots in the victory over the Bruins and making 23 saves combined for the day. Baldoni's play in the cage gave the Cardinal offense time to find its groove in the final, as Stanford finished each half strong with three goals in both the second and fourth periods.
Victoria Kennedy and Ashley Grossman scored three times apiece over the two games to lead the Cardinal attack. Grossman posted a hat trick in the morning against San Jose State, while Kennedy was one of three Cardinal players, along with Kaley Dodson and Kelsey Suggs, to score twice in the title-clinching win over UCLA.
The title game was a seesaw affair into the second period, as the Cardinal and Bruins traded goals until it was 2-2 with 4:58 until halftime. But Kennedy's close-range score with 3:38 to go in the half started a 3-0 Cardinal run that included power-play goals from Pallavi Menon and Kaitlyn Lo the rest of the period.
Overall, Stanford scored on four of its eight 6-on-5 opportunities Sunday afternoon.
UCLA fought back after halftime, scoring the first two goals of the second half to cut Stanford's lead to one at 5-4 just 3:17 into the third period. However, Baldoni and the Cardinal defense shrugged off the goals, conceding just once more over the final12:43.
Meanwhile, the offense got back into its groove. Baldoni started the first sequence with a save and a long outlet pass to Dodson, who finished strong to get the lead to 6-4. Kennedy's second of the game upped the advantage back to three goals 1:28 into the fourth period, but UCLA pulled it back just 19 seconds later.
Stanford didn't bend, though, as Dodson added her second, then Suggs provided the dagger from the perimeter with 3:14 remaining.
Along with the two goals apiece from Dodson, Kennedy and Suggs, additional goals were added by Alyssa and Kaitlyn Lo and Pallavi Menon.
Sunday morning started off with a 2-2 deadlock between the Cardinal and Spartans after the opening period. The Cardinal defense would tighten its grip on the Spartans in the second period, holding San Jose State off the board as the Cardinal offense got four goals from Grossman, Alyssa Lo, Cassie Churnside and Kennedy.
Three more goals in the third period brought the Stanford lead to 9-4 and the Cardinal went on the five-goal win.
Along with Grossman's hat trick, Kiley Neushul scored twice while Churnside, Kennedy, Alyssa Lo, Catherine Carpenter, Monica Coughlan and Jillian Garton added goals.
Baldoni made eight saves over the first three periods before giving way to freshman Emily Dorst, who stopped a pair of shots in the fourth period.
San Jose State - 2 0 2 2 = 6
Stanford - 2 4 3 2 = 11
Stanford Goal Scorers: Grossman 3, Neushul 2, Carpenter, Churnside, Coughlan, Garton, Kennedy, A. Lo
San Jose State Goal Scorers: Stewart 3, Natalizio 2, Coski
Goalie Saves: Baldoni 8, Dorst 2 (S); Minson 2, Reardon 4 (SJSU)
UCLA - 1 1 2 1 = 5
Stanford - 2 3 1 3 = 9
Stanford Goal Scorers: K. Dodson 2, Kennedy 2, Suggs 2, A. Lo, K. Lo, Menon
UCLA Goal Scorers: Clark 3, Dorst, Ronimus
Goalie Saves: Baldoni 15 (S); Dement 3 (UCLA)