BERKELEY, Calif. – Some dominant defense and a decisive third quarter proved to be the winning recipe for No. 1 Stanford in the annual Big Splash against No. 4 California on Thursday evening, as the Cardinal locked down the Golden Bears and left Berkeley with a 7-3 victory.
The win, Stanford’s 39th consecutive regular-season MPSF victory, secured the Cardinal’s sixth consecutive unblemished league campaign. Stanford owns the No. 1 seed in next weekend’s conference tournament in Tempe, Arizona by virtue of its 6-0 MPSF record and will head into that first taste of postseason action 21-1 overall and winners of 10 straight.
The victory also continued the Cardinal’s run against its rival. Stanford has won 41 consecutive games against the Golden Bears dating back to 2000.
A tight, 3-2 lead at half turned into a five-goal Cardinal edge with just eight minutes left courtesy of a dominant third quarter which saw Stanford score four times while smothering each of Cal’s chances. Overall, the Golden Bears were unsuccessful on each of their nine 6-on-5 opportunities and were held to a season-low three goals.
Gurpreet Sohi started the four-goal run at 4:50 in the third when she crept closer to the center of the pool and converted a cross-cage shot from a difficult angle to put Stanford up 4-2.
The Cardinal scored on three consecutive possessions beginning at 2:17 in the third when Roser Tarrago was whistled for an exclusion. A quick shot from Jamie Neushul at the start of the 6-on-5 for the Cardinal extended Stanford’s advantage to 5-2. On Stanford’s next possession, Jordan Raney one-timed a perfect pass from Sohi low and left past Cal’s Madeline Trabucco.
Sohi again set up a Stanford goal when she lofted a pass across the pool to Shannon Cleary, who dumped it in front to Maggie Steffens. With her defender on her left shoulder, Steffens whipped a cross-cage backhanded rocket for Stanford’s seventh and final goal of the game.
Each of the Cardinal’s three goals in the spurt was followed up with Gabby Stone in perfect position to make a save and preserve the clean, third-quarter sheet for Stanford. The junior made eight saves on the day and was also helped immensely by her teammates shutting down Cal’s shooting lanes.
Stanford shortened the goal from the start. Jamie Neushul had a field block at 5:12 in the first, Anna Yelizarova tallied one at 2:19 and Kiley Neushul did so at 1:50. Cal didn’t get many better looks the rest of the game. Tarrago was shut down by a massive Cardinal field block with 3:27 to go in the second quarter and Dani Jackovich joined the defensive parade with 1:01 until the break when she shut down another Golden Bear on the doorstep.
Cal’s three goals scored not only tied a season-low for the Golden Bears, but were also the fewest Stanford has allowed in an MPSF match since UCLA put home just one on April 6, 2013.
Stanford, the defending MPSF Tournament champion, will enjoy a bye into the semifinals and awaits the winner of No. 4 seed California and No. 5 seed Arizona State on Saturday, April 25 at 2:30 p.m.
No. 2 Stanford at No. 4 California
April 16, 2015 • Berkeley, Calif.
CAL 0 – 2 – 0 – 1 = 3
STAN 2 – 1 – 4– 0 = 7
Cal Goals: Roser Tarrago, Dora Antal
Cal Saves: Madeline Trabucco 2
Stanford Goals: Jordan Raney 2, Katie Dudley, Jamie Neushul, Gurpreet Sohi, Maggie Steffens, Anna Yelizarova
Stanford Saves: Gabby Stone 8