Sept. 29, 2012
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Third-ranked Stanford men's water polo split its first two games at the SoCal Tournament Saturday, defeating Princeton, 13-6, before dropping a 12-9 decision to host UC Santa Barbara at UCSB's Campus Pool.
The loss drops the Cardinal into the fifth-eighth place classification rounds. Stanford will open Sunday's action against Pepperdine at 9:20 a.m. at Dos Pueblos High School.
Bret Bonnani led the Cardinal with six goals on the day, while Alex Avery, Alex Bowen, Conner Cleary and Ian Gamble each scored thrice.
Stanford was in good position to make the semifinals of the tournament entering the fourth period of Saturday evening's game against UC Santa Barbara, leading 8-6. But the Cardinal offense went cold at an inopportune time, scoring just once over the final eight minutes while the Gauchos notched six goals to overcome the deficit and pull off the upset.
Avery, Bonanni and Bowen scored two goals each in the loss, while goalie Scott Platshon made 10 saves in the cage.
Bonanni paced the Cardinal scoring effort in the morning against Princeton, netting four goals to lead all players. Cleary, Gamble and Forrest Watkins each scored twice while Avery, Bowen and Nick Hoversten each added a goal.
Two goals in each of the first two periods got the Cardinal out to a 4-1 halftime lead. The Cardinal defense, marshaled by goalies Clayton Evans and Hunter Ploch, who combined for 10 saves, held the Tigers to just one goal in the opening half to create a cushion for the offense.
The Cardinal opened the second half with four goals in the third period then closed strong with five goals in the final frame to put away the Tigers.
Princeton - 0 1 3 2 = 6
Stanford - 2 2 4 5 = 13
Stanford Goal Scorers - Bonanni 4, Cleary 2, Gamble 2, Watkins 2, Avery, Bowen, Hoversten
Princeton Goal Scorers - Weber 2, Wenzlau 2, Butler, Shannon
Goalie Saves - Evans 4, Ploch 6 (S); Gow 6, Dearbon 11 (P)
Stanford - 2 2 4 1 = 9
UCSB - 2 1 3 6 = 12
Stanford Goal Scorers - Avery 2, Bonanni 2, Bowen 2, Cleary, Gamble, Hoversten
UCSB Goal Scorers - Gronow 3, Zhang 3, Jordan 2, Dellinger, Miller, D. Shoemaker, Van de Mortel
Goalie Saves - Platshon 10 (S); Christian 15 (UCSB)