STANFORD, Calif . — Lucy Dikeou and Hannah Farr scored four goals each and freshman goalie Allie DaCar made a career-high 14 saves to lead No. 15 Stanford to a 12-6 victory over USC in a women’s lacrosse showdown between teams undefeated in Mountain Pacific Sports Federation play Sunday.
Stanford (11-2 overall, 7-0 MPSF) seized sole possession of first and can clinch the top seed in the six-team MPSF tournament with a victory in either of its final two games – at UC Davis on Wednesday or at California on Sunday. USC (11-4, 7-1) must hope for a pair of Cardinal losses. The tournament champion earns the MPSF’s automatic berth into the NCAA tournament.
The performance was a fitting tribute to Stanford’s seven graduating seniors, playing final home game. The Cardinal’s class of ’15 has compiled a 47-23 record over the past four seasons, seems assured of its third consecutive NCAA berth, and is high achieving on and off the field.
Their average grade-point average is 3.33, and their post graduation plans include private equity analyst (Farr), craniofacial reconstructive surgeon (Emily Newstrom), and oil and gas investment banking analyst (Chinna O’Suji). Fifth-year senior Rachel Ozer graduated last year with atmosphere and energy engineering and will earn her master’s this summer in mechanical engineering.
“We talked this whole weekend about honoring our seniors and what they’ve done for our program,” Stanford coach Amy Bokker said. “This is a really good showing of what our seniors mean to us and how they’ve led our team, and the commitment they’ve shown.”
If the Cardinal can close it out, this would be its first regular-season title since 2011 and the third under seventh-year coach Bokker. A regular-season title also would allow Stanford to play host to next year’s MPSF tournament. This year’s will be at Denver from April 30-May 3.
The Cardinal defense stymied the Trojans, holding MPSF goals leader Michaela Michael to one goal and Caroline de Lyra, ranked No. 11 in the nation in assists, without an assist. The primary marker on Michael was Adrienne Anderson, but the rest of the Cardinal defense lived up to its gameplan of funneling the Trojans into non-threatening positions, making DaCar able to better anticipate where the shots would come from. The six goals allowed were the fewest by DaCar in a complete game.
“I feel like a lot of our defense’s confidence comes from me, and a lot of my confidence comes from them,” DaCar said.”When we’re communicating really well and they’re making good slides and coming up with a lot of good caused turnovers, it pumps me up to play better, and when I make some really good stops it pumps them up. Today, it was a combination of both.”
Both goalies made top-notch saves early. In fact, USC’s Gussie Johns matched DaCar’s 14 saves, and their play seemed to inspire each other across the field.
“I thought, if I could do the same thing for my team, that will really get us going and get us on a roll,” DaCar said.
Indeed, though USC scored first, Stanford got three consecutive goals by Dikeou over a six-minute span to take a 4-1 lead it would not relinquish. As is her norm, Dikeou played a complete game – nabbing two draw controls, forcing two turnovers, grabbing two ground balls, playing outstanding defense when put in the back zone late in the game, and using her quickness to help control possession as the clock wound down.
Farr’s four goals were a season high for the reigning MPSF Player of the Year and 2014 All-America. She also had two draw controls and a groundball.
“We came into this game so passionate about winning,” DaCar said. “Everyone was so fired up. We wanted to play really well for our seniors.”
Stanford 12, USC 6
USC 2 4 – 6
Stanford 6 6 – 12
USC (goals-assists): Caroline Cordrey 2-0, Michaela Michael 1-0, Amanda Johansen 1-0, Caroline de Lyra 1-0, Cynthia Del Core 1-0, Kylie Drexel 0-3. Totals 6-3.
Stanford: Hannah Farr 4-0, Lucy Dikeou 4-0, Rachel Ozer 1-1, Mackenzie Tesei 1-1, Alex Poplawski 1-0, Alexandra Crerend 1-0. Totals 12-2.
Records: Stanford 11-2, 7-0; USC 11-4, 7-1.