INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Maggie Steffens scored four times, No. 2 Stanford clamped down defensively in the fourth quarter and the Cardinal advanced to its eighth consecutive NCAA final with an 11-10 victory over No. 3 USC on Saturday night.
Stanford (22-3), which has appeared in every championship match since 2010, will play No. 1 UCLA (24-1) for the national title on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET/noon PT. The Bruins beat Cal 14-11 in the tournament's earlier semifinal. The Cardinal has won five NCAA Championships (2002, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015) and four of the last six.
The teams traded goals throughout the entire first half and were tied 6-6 at intermission. Maud Megens converted a penalty for USC (29-4) to close the second quarter and then the Trojans rattled the cage in a couple of power plays to start the third and go up two, 8-6.
With 4:46 to go in the third, Shannon Cleary found Madison Berggren with a cross pass, which the lefty whipped in for Stanford's first tally of the second half. On the Cardinal's next possession, Kat Klass' lob over Amanda Longan to the far post found the back of the cage and tie the score 8-8.
Brianna Daboub scored in the 6-on-5 with 1:47 left in the third to put USC up one, 9-8, heading into the final period.
Stanford's defense, which was superb all game, rose to another level in the fourth. Gabby Stone made three of her five saves in the last eight minutes and USC managed just one score, a quick strike from Stephania Haralabidis on a restart with 4:34 on the clock.
Jordan Raney scored twice in the final frame for the Cardinal. She took a pass from Maggie Steffens on the power play and rifled it to the far post at 5:01 to tie things 9-9. Haralabidis scored next before Steffens put home her fourth with 4:20 to go and then set up Raney for another 6-on-5 goal with 3:46 left.
Stone would save potential game-tying attempts from Haralabidis and Megens over the final three minutes and Stanford wrapped up the win by forcing a shot clock violation after a USC timeout with just 31 ticks remaining.
Raney and Shannon Cleary keyed Stanford's strong defensive effort on the Trojans' two-meter powerhouse Brigitta Games. USC's second-leading scorer was held without a goal for just the fifth time in 33 games this season.
The back-and-forth first half in which Stanford never trailed with kicked off with a Steffens hat trick in the game's first four minutes. The Cutino Award finalist scored the Cardinal's first three of the evening at 5:30, 4:40 and 3:54 in the opening quarter.
Shannon Cleary nudged Stanford back in front, 4-3, with a rocket to the far post at 2:39. Makenzie Fischer scored the Cardinal's final two of the first half, converting a penalty late in the first quarter (1:03) and rattling the cage midway through the second (3:54) off a pass from Raney.
Stanford extended its own NCAA record by booking its eighth straight trip to the women's water polo championship and will be looking to win the department's fourth NCAA title of the year (men's soccer, women's volleyball, women's swimming and diving).
Stanford has won 112 NCAA team championships, a total which is second to UCLA's 113. Cardinal programs last won four NCAA championships in 2001-02. Stanford has won at least one NCAA team title for 41 consecutive academic years, an ongoing record.
No. 2 Stanford vs. No. 3 USC
May 13, 2017 • Indianapolis, Ind.
USC 4 – 2 – 3 – 1 = 10
STAN 5 – 1 – 2 – 3 = 11
Stanford Goals: Maggie Steffens 4, Makenzie Fischer 2, Jordan Raney 2, Madison Berggren, Shannon Cleary, Kat Klass
Stanford Saves: Gabby Stone 5
USC Goals: Brianna Daboub 3, Stephania Haralabidis 2, Maud Megens 2, Annika Jensen, Denise Mammolito, Hayley McKelvey
USC Saves: Amanda Longan 8
