Oct. 28, 2012
STANFORD, Calif. - No. 4 Stanford completed a home weekend sweep Sunday, as sophomore Alex Bowen's six-goal effort highlighted a 12-11 victory over No. 9 Long Beach State at Avery Aquatic Center.
The season-high output for Bowen included the eventual game-winner, scored with 1:44 remaining in the contest. Freshman Bret Bonanni netted four goals while Travis Noll and Forrest Watkins each added a goal for Stanford (12-4, 4-2 MPSF).
The Cardinal plays a pair of road non-conference games next weekend, visiting UC Davis Saturday and Santa Clara Sunday. Both contests are set for 12 p.m. starts.
Sunday's victory was not assured until the final horn, as Cardinal goalie Scott Platshon made his eighth save, stopping Nolan McConnell's effort with a second remaining. The Cardinal battled the entire way, bouncing back from a 4-2 hole in the second period and a 5-4 halftime deficit to register the comeback win.
Stanford took its first lead of the game with 5:22 remaining in the third period as Bowen's fourth goal of the game made it 6-5 Cardinal. Bonanni would find the back of the net on the 6-on-5 1:35 later to give Stanford a 7-5 lead.
Long Beach State did not back down, however, as Spencer White and Milo Vrzic scored at the 3:25 and 1:55 marks, respectively, to bring the 49ers even at 7-7. Bowen would come back to the Cardinal's rescue 34 seconds before the end of the frame, putting the Cardinal in front 8-7 with a shot from the point.
Stanford would not relinquish that lead the rest of the way, but it as a combined effort on both ends of the pool that kept that advantage. Long Beach State cut the Cardinal lead to one four times in the period, but the Stanford offense would answer with a goal the first three times, then Platshon and the defense would hold firm on the fourth occasion.
Bowen's goals at the 6:37 and 1:44 marks gave the Cardinal leads of two goals, sandwiched around Noll's perimeter goal with 5:32 remaining that got the Cardinal up to 11-9 just 28 seconds after the 49ers had pulled to within 10-9.
Platshon and the Stanford defense came up big when it mattered, fighting off a Long Beach State 6-on-5 with just over a minute remaining, then snuffing out two more 49ers chances to preserve the win.
The Cardinal had played catch-up the whole first half, equalizing twice thanks to Bonanni and Watkins after Long Beach State had taken leads of 1-0 and 2-1. The 49ers would get goals from Ben Matulis and Nolan McConnell which would put them in front 4-2, but the Cardinal would answer with goals from Bonanni and Bowen at the 2:38 and 1:54 marks to even it up.
Zacchary Kappos would score with 21 seconds left in the half to put Long Beach State up a goal at halftime, but the Cardinal's three-goal run to start the second half would change the complexion of the contest.
Long Beach State - 2 3 2 4 = 11
Stanford - 1 3 4 4 = 12
Stanford Goal Scorers: Bowen 6, Bonanni 4, Noll, Watkins
Long Beach State Goal Scorers: Matulis 3, No. Mcconnell 2, Vrzic 2, Kappos, Na. McConnell, Rascon
Goalie Saves: Platshon 8 (S); Meszaros 7 (LBS)