STANFORD, Calif. – A dominant senior showcase with two goals and two assists apiece from Kristina Bassi and Marissa Cicione powered No. 18 Stanford to a 6-2 rout of UC Davis while securing the No. 1 seed in the West Division of the America East headed into next week's tournament.
From the opening whistle the match was dominated by the Cardinal (10-7, 4-2 AE) as it came out of the gate to crush 13 shots at the Aggies (1-16, 0-6 AE) while needing less than 90 seconds to show the tag team of the night as Bassi sent a ball through the left side that Cicione one-touched into the left corner.
The duo flipped the script less than 30 seconds later with a bounce coming off UCD's goalie that Cicione knocked to Bassi who tipped it in. The Aggies were able to strike in the first half in the sixth minute, but the Bassi/Cicione show rolled on with another cross to the middle that Bassi made a juke move to finish for her second goal.
Corinne Zanolli added another off a penalty stroke in the 25th minute, but the night belonged to the seniors as Cicione struck again with a pass from Bassi for a one-touch shot into the left corner to pull the score to 5-1 at the half.
The second period saw Stanford control the action throughout while switching up the personnel. In the 40th minute an incredible corner that saw Sarah Johnson insert to Katie Keyser that stopped for Zanolli for a pass back to Johnson for a goal into the top shelf.
The Cardinal will now travel to Lowell, Mass. next week to defend its 2016 America East title. Stanford will open the tournament on Thursday at 12:30 p.m. PT against the host school UMass Lowell.
