STANFORD, Calif. – No. 4 Stanford scored the first five goals and never looked back, en route to an 11-3 victory over No. 16 Bucknell in the first match of a Friday evening men's water polo double header at Avery Aquatic Center.
Stanford (10-3), which notched his fourth consecutive victory, returns to action later tonight against Wagner at 7 p.m. PT.
Freshman Ben Hallock led the way offensively, scoring three of his game-high four goals in the first 11 minutes of the contest during Stanford's game-opening 5-0 run.
Fellow freshman Sawyer Rhodes took a Dylan Woodhead pass and punched home Stanford's first goal of the match. He followed a Hallock score with his second goal of the match to end the first quarter, as Cody Smith delivered a cross pass to the freshman for the score.
The Cardinal capped its five-goal run midway through the second quarter as Jackson Kimbell found Hallock inside and the freshman punched it home from the doorstep.
Smith countered a two-goal Bucknell (12-9) spurt with a score just before time expired in the second period to give Stanford a 6-2 halftime advantage.
Hallock capped his four-goal night with a penalty-shot score 40 seconds into the second half. The Cardinal added a pair of goals from Bennett Williams and one each from Kimbell and Blake Parrish in the second half for the 11-3 victory.
Senior Drew Holland played the entire match in goal, posting his sixth consecutive double-digit save performance with 12 stops against the Bison. Bucknell goalie Charlie Niehaus was tested frequently, finishing the contest with 13 saves.
The win improved Stanford to 3-0 at home this season.
