MALIBU, Calif. – Multi-goal efforts from Bret Bonanni and BJ Churnside, 18 saves from Drew Holland and a dominant fourth quarter propelled the No. 1 Stanford men’s water polo team to a 13-4 win against No. 11 Pepperdine at Raleigh Runnels Memorial Pool in Malibu on Sunday afternoon.
The Cardinal (18-3 overall, 4-1 MPSF) never trailed and were up 7-4 heading into the final period when it put the game away with a 6-0 effort in the final eight minutes. Griffin Bolan (7:44) and Churnside (5:06) scored even-strength goals to start the closing run. Chase went back-to-back with Bonanni at 4:31 and 3:52. Connor Stapleton scored with 2:39 left and Churnside scored his second of the quarter with a penalty at 1:53.
Stanford led 4-1 after the first quarter and scored the first three of the afternoon. Adam Abdulhamid (7:35) and Alex Bowen (7:07) sparked things for the Cardinal on Sunday. Exclusion goals from Conner Cleary (6:18) and Cody Smith (3:05) sandwiched a power play score for Pepperdine at 4:55.
Following Smith’s 35th goal of his freshman season, Bret Bonanni scored the game’s next three for the Cardinal. The Waves (8-11, 0-5) pulled to within 4-3 after putting home the first two goals of the second quarter, both in man-up situations at 4:15 and 3:29, before Bonanni closed the first half with his first of the game at 3:09.
Bonanni added two more in the third quarter (4:43 and 0:46) before Stanford pulled away in the fourth. The junior now has 235 career goals and is tied with James Bergeson (1979-82) for second in Cardinal history.
Both teams were 3-for-7 in 6-on-5 opportunities. Drew Holland made 19 saves, his eighth game in double digits this season and fifth in Stanford’s last seven.
The Cardinal will be back at home on Saturday when it hosts Long Beach State (15-3, 4-0) at noon.
No. 1 Stanford at No. 11 Pepperdine
Oct. 26, 2014 • Malibu, Calif.
PEP 1– 2 – 1 – 0 = 4
STAN 4 – 1 – 2 – 6 = 13
Pepperdine Goals: Kenneth Keller, Brock Liebhardt, Chase Mendoza, Thomas Patten
Pepperdine Saves: Zack Rhodes 8
Stanford Goals: Bret Bonanni 4, BJ Churnside 2, Adam Abdulhamid, Griffin Bolan, Alex Bowen, Reid Chase, Conner Cleary, Cody Smith, Connor Stapleton
Stanford Saves: Drew Holland 19