April 27, 2013
STANFORD, Calif. - Just two days after being defeated on a last-second goal, the No. 14 Stanford women's lacrosse team provided its own bit of drama Saturday, scoring in the final seconds to knock off California, 14-13.
Rachel Ozer netted the game-winner with just eight seconds on the clock to break a 13-13 tie and secure the comeback victory.
The win makes Stanford the second seed in next weekend's Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Tournament in Eugene, Ore.
Ozer finished the day with three goals, scoring the first goal in both halves and the final goal in the second. She completed the regular season with team-highs in points (62), goals (43) and assists (19).
After Cal (9-6, 6-2 MPSF) scored two consecutive goals to take a 13-11 lead with just 11:27 to play, Stanford (11-5, 6-2 MPSF) went on a 3-0 scoring run in the final seven minutes to claim the victory.
Meg Lentz started the late scoring streak with a goal at the 6:51 mark, and Lucy Dikeou scored less than a minute later to knot the game at 13-13. Ozer completed the effort with her game-winner.
Anna Kim led Stanford offensively, notching a team-best four goals on five shots. She also led the team with three ground balls.
Megan Lerner broke the Stanford single-season record for draw controls as she led the team with four against Cal to finish the season with 55 - passing the previous record of 52 held by Catherine Swanson ('12) and Leslie Foard ('11).
Goalkeeper Lyndsey Munoz played all 60 minutes in net and made three saves. Perhaps her biggest save came on a free-position attempt with no time remaining on the clock to secure the regulation victory.
The Cardinal got off to a great start against Cal, taking an early 4-1 lead in the first eight minutes. However, Cal battled back and put together a 5-0 scoring run in the final five minutes of the first half to take a 7-9 lead into halftime.
Stanford opened the second half strong, getting goals from Ozer and Kim in the first four minutes to tie the game at 9-9. Cal responded with two goals of its own from Megan Takacs and Alexa Rozelle to regain the lead.
The lead didn't last long, however, as Kyle Fraser and Hannah Farr both scored goals within a minute and three seconds of Rozelle's to knot the game at 11-all.
Takacs and Gaby Chirstman each scored a goal apiece to put Cal up, 13-11, before Stanford went on its 3-0 run to close the game.
Stanford will see Cal again in its next game at the MPSF Tournament Semifinals on Thursday, May 2 at 7 p.m. (PT) in Eugene, Ore.