LOS ANGELES - The first half looked promising for No. 5 Stanford, but the Cardinal couldn't keep up with No. 3 USC's potent offensive attack in a 19-14 loss to the Trojans.
Stanford falls to 20-3 on the season with an 0-2 mark in regular season MPSF play.
No. 5 Stanford 14 - No. 3 USC 19
Stanford struck first after the squads got into the rhythm of the game in the opening minutes, as Jackson Painter converted a penalty just over two minutes in. The teams traded scores the remainder of the period, with the Cardinal holding a 4-3 advantage after one.
Stanford was the first to pull away, scoring four straight goals for a 6-3 edge just a minute into the second period, fueled offensively by Painter and redshirt freshman Grant Watson. The Cardinal couldn't hold onto the momentum, as USC responded with three straight of its own to tie the game.
Tied 8-8 at halftime, the teams continued to swap goals all the way till it became 10-10, with the majority of the offense coming off turnovers and broken play opportunities. The end of the third period proved to be a tipping point, as the Trojans scored four straight for a 13-10 lead heading into the final stanza, a deficit the Cardinal would never recover from.
Stanford showed life by scoring the first goal of the fourth from Jack Martin, but would never get closer as the offense couldn't find its rhythm in key moments and USC poured it on late.
Jackson Painter's three-goal performance was his team-best 14th multi-goal performance of the season, as he eclipsed the 50-goal mark this fall.
No. 5 Stanford vs. No. 3 USC
Oct. 30, 2022 • Los Angeles, Calif.
USC 3 – 5 – 5 – 6 = 19
STAN 4 – 4 – 2 – 4 = 14
USC Goals: Jake Ehrhardt (5), Massimo di Martire (4), Ashworth Molthen (4), Marcus Longton (2), Chris Agliozzo (1), Andrej Grgurevic (1), Carson Kranz (1), Grayden Reynolds (1)
Stanford Goals: Jackson Painter (3), Grant Watson (3), Ethan Parrish (2), Quinn Woodhead (2), Beck Jurasius (1), Jack Martin (1), Chase McFarland (1), Riley Pittman (1)
Saves: Nolan Krutonog (7), Kyle McKenney (9)