STANFORD, Calif. – Tyler Abramson jammed in a goal at the near post in the fourth quarter to cap a three-goal flurry that helped lift No. 4 Stanford to a 16-11 men's water polo victory over No. 6 Pacific at Avery Aquatic Center on Sunday.
Abramson, who joined teammates Parker Killion and Spencer Nelson in a Senior Day ceremony after the game, scored three goals as the Cardinal improved to 16-4 overall. Larsen Weigle also had a hat trick in the nonconference contest.
Abramson is two goals away from 200 for a career, a figure reached by only six in school history. Abramson passed Erich Fischer (197 goals; 1985-87) to move into the No. 7 spot on Stanford's all-time scoring list.
Stanford and Pacific (9-10) have a strong recent history. They met in the 2019 NCAA final, won by Stanford, and went into overtime on Sept. 4, with Stanford winning, 15-12. Both games were in Stockton.
Stanford never trailed, but the teams were pitted in a 4-4 tie late in the first quarter. Abramson put the Cardinal ahead for good with 39 seconds left in the opening quarter and Ethan Parrish added another just 28 seconds into the second for a 6-4 lead.
The Cardinal built the lead to 9-5 on a goal by Blake Jurasius, but Pacific twice closed to within two goals, the latest at 11-9 with 3:39 left in the third quarter. That's when Stanford's Walker Seymour, Soren Jensen, and Abramson scored three unanswered to put the Cardinal comfortably in front, 14-9 with 5:36 left in the game.
Goalie Nolan Krutonog had three saves in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter to allow Stanford to get the stops it needed to pull away. He finished with 13 saves.
John Vargas, The Dunlevie Family Director of Men's Water Polo. Photo by Richard C. Ersted/ISIphotos.com.
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No. 4 Stanford 16, No. 6 Pacific 11
Oct. 31, 2021
Pacific 4 – 4 – 1 – 2 = 11
Stanford 5 – 5 – 3 – 3 = 16
Pacific Goals: Bogdan Djerkovic 4, Jeremie Cote 2, Djordje Stanic 2, Mihailo Vukacic 1, Gil Gvishi 1, Reuel D'Souza 1.
Stanford Goals: Tyler Abramson 3, Larsen Weigle 3, Troy Gleason 2, Ethan Parrish 2, Walker Seymour 2, Soren Jensen 1, Beck Jurasius 1, Riley Pittman 1, Quinn Woodhead 1.
Saves: Nolan Krutonog (S) 13; John Hedges (P) 8.