STANFORD, Calif. – Maggie Steffens scored six goals and registered a hat trick in the first quarter to help lead top-ranked Stanford to a convincing 19-5 win over No. 14 Long Beach State at Avery Aquatic Center Sunday afternoon.
Jamie Neushul added four goals for Stanford (3-0), which turned a closely-contested affair after eight minutes into a blowout thanks to a seven-goal second quarter which gave the Cardinal a 10-1 halftime lead.
Steffens scored twice in the first 42 seconds of the game to give Stanford an early 2-0 advantage, the first coming on a penalty shot as a result of a 5-meter penalty drawn by Dani Jackovich at two meters. Steffens added her third goal of the first quarter with 3:10 remaining before Virginia Smith got Long Beach State (1-2) on the board with 43 seconds left in the opening frame.
Stanford's seven second-quarter goals came from six different players with Jamie Neushul scoring twice in the period and Jackovich, Steffens, Madison Berggren, Katie Dudley and Kat Klass each adding one. Two of the goals came on penalty shots from Berggren and Klass, while Steffens set up Neushul's second goal on a well-placed cross pass.
Long Beach State's offense got going in the third quarter, but not before Steffens, Jackovich and Neushul scored in the first three minutes of the period to push Stanford's lead out to 13-1. Raney Remme revved up the 49er attack with a lob shot to beat Gabby Stone, who turned in another solid performance with 11 saves in three quarters of work.
The Cardinal and 49ers traded goals the rest of the third period, with Neushul scoring her fourth and final goal of the day on a catch-and-shoot off another nifty feed from Steffens to give Stanford a 16-4 lead heading into the fourth.
Annabel Harman scored with 6:56 remaining the final quarter to get Long Beach State to within 16-5, but the Cardinal countered with two goals from Makenzie Fischer and one from Shannon Cleary with 5:01 left to close out the scoring.
Stanford was solid in man-up and man-down situations, going 2-for-3 on the 6-on-5 and limiting Long Beach State to 1-for-6 on the 49ers' power-play opportunities. Stanford also drew three penalty fouls and converted on all three ensuing penalty shots.
Julia Hermann relieved Stone in the fourth quarter, making three saves and conceding just one goal.
Long Beach State goalkeeper Eirini Patra went the distance in cage, making eight stops.
Stanford is next in action at the Stanford Invitational Feb. 4-5 at Avery Aquatic Center, beginning with an 8:30 a.m. start Saturday morning against No. 20 Loyola Marymount.
No. 1 Stanford vs. No. 14 Long Beach State
Jan. 29, 2017 • Stanford, Calif.
LBSU 1 – 0 – 3 – 1 = 5
STAN 3 – 7 – 6 – 3 = 19
Long Beach State Goals: Annabel Harman 2, Virginia Smith, Raney Remme, Christina Kotsia
Long Beach State Saves: Eirini Patra 8
Stanford Goals: Maggie Steffens 6, Jamie Neushul 4, Dani Jackovich 2, Katie Dudley 2, Makenzie Fischer 2, Kat Klass, Shannon Cleary, Madison Berggren
Stanford Saves: Gabby Stone 11, Julia Hermann 3
Steffens Scores Six in Win
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