March 22, 2013
STANFORD, Calif. - Second-ranked Stanford women's water polo returned from 13 days off due to final exams Friday night and dialed up an 18-5 win over Harvard at Avery Aquatic Center.
Kaley Dodson, Melissa Seidemann scored three apiece. Alexis Lee and Kaitlyn Lo.
All three Cardinal goalies saw action, with Kate Baldoni made a pair of saves during the second period and Emily Dorst stopped a shot in the fourth period.
Stanford travels to Tempe Saturday, where it will play three games at the ASU Invite. The Cardinal takes on MPSF foe and third-ranked Arizona State Sunday at 12 p.m. and closes the day at 3 p.m. against Colorado State. Stanford plays its final game in Tempe Monday morning at 10 a.m. against No. 19 Hartwick.
Steffens had her hat trick in the bag with 1:20 left in the opening period Friday. The freshman from Danville scored 36 seconds into the contest and followed up with goals at the 4:30 and 1:20 marks, with Seidemann and Grossman adding the Cardinal's second and fourth goals.
The burst fueled an 8-0 Cardinal run to start the game as Neushul, Kaley Dodson and Seidemann all scored with the first 1:59 of the second frame to build the margin. Harvard (13-8) would get on the board 5:38 before the break thanks to Aisha Price's goal.
Neushul, Seidemann and Dodson struck again to start the second half and Steffens added her fourth at the 4:55 mark to open up a 12-1 lead before Harvard pulled a pair back behind the arms of Price and Victoria Frager at the 4:37 and 3:13 marks.
Cory Dodson and Jelena Cyr would trade goals within three seconds of one another to end the period with the Cardinal ahead 14-4.
After Kaley Dodson scored her third goal of the game and was answered by Harvard's Shayna Price with 6:40 to play, Stanford would go on a 3-0 run to end the game.
Harvard - 0 1 3 1 = 5
Stanford - 5 3 6 4 = 18
Stanford Goal Scorers: Steffens 4, K. Dodson 3, Neushul 3, Seidemann 3, C. Dodson 2, Grossman, Lee, Lo
Harvard Goal Scorers: A. Price 2, Cyr, Frager, S. Price
Goalie Saves: Stone 2, Baldoni 2, Dorst 1 (S); Dukes 7