LOS ANGELES – No. 25 Stanford fell to No. 8 USC 13-12 in a hard-fought matchup between the Pac-12 rivals in which neither team ever had a lead of more than two goals.
"We did a lot of things well this game, although maybe it doesn't feel like it right now," said head coach Danielle Spencer. "I really believe in this team and where we are going. We will be ok as long as we stick together, stay confident, and trust the process."
Galen Lew and Daniella McMahon led the Cardinal with three goals each, while Jacie Lemos and Mikaela Watson each had two, and Ali Baiocco and Jay Browne had one apiece. Browne (2), Watson (2), Lew (1) and Katherine Gjertsen (1) each had assists. Kyra Pelton led the team with nine draw controls. Goalkeeper Trudie Grattan made seven saves.
The Cardinal held the advantage in shots (29-25), draw controls (17-10) and free-position shots (10-5).
USC got on the board first, nearly four minutes after the opening draw control. For nearly every goal the Trojans scored, the Cardinal followed it up with one of its own. McMahon tied the game at one at the 23:36 minute mark. After the Trojans scored again, Lemos tied it at two.
The Trojans took the lead once again, but McMahon scored her second and third goals to give Stanford its first lead of the game at 4-3. USC scored two-straight to reclaim the lead before Jay Browne tied it up again.
USC scored two more to take its biggest lead of the game, 7-5. Galen Lew scored back-to-back goals to tie the game at seven, before USC tacked one on to take an 8-7 heading into the half.
Lew scored her third goal of the game at the 23:06 mark in the second half, followed by another goal from Lemos to give Stanford the lead.
After the Trojans tied it at nine, Baiocco took back the lead with a goal of her own. USC tied it once again, then Watson scored back-to-back goals to give Stanford a 12-11 lead.
The Cardinal could not hang on, as USC added two more goals to secure the win.
Stanford (2-4, 0-1 Pac-12) returns to action on Sunday, March 8 at 1:00 p.m. PT when it travels to Tempe, Ariz. to face Arizona State.