STANFORD, Calif. – Showing a little rust from a two-week layoff, No. 1 Stanford (15-1) steadied to hold off No. 5 Pepperdine (17-6), 12-11, on Sunday at the sunny and breezy Avery Aquatic Center in front of a loud and supportive crowd of 594. It was the 10th consecutive win for the Cardinal.
Although Stanford never trailed, the physical and determined Waves kept the pressure on until the final minute and out-shot the Cardinal, 38-31.
Redshirt junior @ben_hallock opens Cardinal scoring from close
— Stanford Water Polo (@StanfordMWP) October 27, 2019
range.#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/grC4uKcbck
Senior goalkeeper Andrew Chun registered a career-best 18 saves for Stanford. His previous high was 13 against Pacific last month.
The Cardinal led 4-1 early and 8-6 at intermission, as redshirt junior Ben Hallock netted three goals. Pepperdine never trailed by more than two scores after the break and cut it to one several times. Sophomore AJ Rossman delivered the backbreaker in the final minute to provide a two-goal cushion.
Tyler Abramson finds mark at 3:00 mark and it's 11-9.#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/Hj09yxfyLg
— Stanford Water Polo (@StanfordMWP) October 27, 2019
"AJ and those guys have been in some big games and it didn't bother them to be in that situation," said John Vargas, the Dunlevie Family Director of Men's Water Polo.
Hallock led all scorers with four goals, had an assist and forced two exclusions. Rossman, senior Bennett Williams, junior Tyler Abramson and senior Dylan Woodhead added two goals each.
Stanford travels to USC next Saturday for a 1 p.m. match. Live scoring is available on GoStanford.com.