March 31, 2012
STANFORD, Calif. - Second-ranked Stanford women's water polo got a battle from a game fourth-ranked Arizona State squad Saturday, but hat tricks from Kaley Dodson and Ashley Grossman helped the Cardinal come out with the 12-8 win at Avery Aquatic Center.
Stanford improves to 17-1 overall and 3-0 in MPSF play, and will finish the weekend Sunday at 1 p.m. against No. 8 San Diego State.
Along with the hat tricks from Dodson and Grossman, Cassie Churnside and Pallavi Menon each scored twice. Monica Coughlan and Kaitlyn Lo added a goal apiece as well.
Junior goalie Kate Baldoni made six saves in the cage, as the Cardinal defense buckled down in the second half, allowing just three goals.
That defensive effort helped the Cardinal pull away from the pesky Sun Devils, who trailed by only a goal at halftime. Leading 6-5, Stanford was able to increase its lead to 8-6 after the third period then outscored Arizona State, 4-2, over the final eight minutes to seal the win.
Dodson started the scoring just 31 seconds into the game to give Stanford a quick 1-0 lead. ASU's Anna Kertes would equalize two minutes later, scoring the first of what would be four goals on the day. However, Dodson was able to answer just over a minute later to put the Cardinal back in front.
The offenses got rolling as the second frame opened up, beginning with Churnside's score when the period was 30 seconds old. Kertes and Mariam Salloum got two in a row for the Sun Devils, pulling even for the second time.
The teams would trade goals twice over the next four minutes, namely, Grossman and Kertes would trade those goals, each scoring twice as the score became tied again at 5-5. The Cardinal would get the last word in the frame, though, thanks to Churnside's second of the game, this one coming 1:13 before halftime.
Coughlan and Lo scored the first two goals of the second half within 3:05, increasing Stanford's lead to 8-5. Makenzy Fowler would pull one back for ASU before the end of the frame, but Grossman and Menon would score twice to start the fourth, making it 10-6 Cardinal.
Arizona State would get no closer the rest of the way, as the two teams traded goals up until the final buzzer.
Arizona State - 1 4 1 2 = 8
Stanford - 2 4 2 4 = 12
Stanford Goal Scorers: K. Dodson 3, Grossman 3, Churnside 2, Menon 2, Coughlan, K. Lo
Arizona State Goal Scorers: Kertes 4, Brightwell, Fowler, Salloum, White
Goalie Saves: Baldoni 6 (S); Hutchinson 7 (ASU)