NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. - No. 4 Stanford came away with a split on Saturday at the Barbara Kalbus Invitational, defeating No. 5 USC 12-7 in the morning before falling to No. 1 UCLA 9-6 later in the afternoon.
The results land Stanford (9-3) in Sunday's third-place game (1 p.m.) against No. 6 California. The Cardinal, which has won 14 of the last 15 meetings against the Golden Bears dating back to 2018, was attempting to three-peat as tournament champion and capture its seventh event title overall.
Saturday's split was a solid effort overall for the Cardinal, which continues to establish its identity early in the season. Stanford extended its winning streak to eight after defeating the Trojans while collecting its third win of the season against a top-5 opponent.
No. 4 Stanford 12, No. 5 USC 7
Stanford opened the day with a 12-7 victory over USC (6-3) and has now won seven of the last nine meetings overall. The Cardinal and Trojans have combined to win the last 13 NCAA titles, fueling a rivalry that dominates the sport.
Sophie Wallace and Sophia Sanders shared game-high honors with four goals apiece, pacing an offensive attack that gained steam midway through the game. Wallace's output included her 100th career goal, which came off a penalty shot at the 6:16 mark of the second period.
After USC extended its lead to 6-4 with 5:54 left to play before halftime, Stanford completely flipped the script thanks to a stingy defense.
Back-to-back goals from Sanders gave the Cardinal a 7-6 halftime lead before another four-goal stretch that resulted in an 11-6 advantage with 6:49 left in the fourth period.
Meanwhile, Stanford's defense held USC scoreless for just over 15 minutes while Maya Avital came up with 10 saves in goal.
Stanford Goals: Sophia Sanders (4), Sophie Wallace (4), Maggie Hawkins (1), Christina Hicks (1), Avery Montiel (1), Alissa Pascual (1).
No. 1 UCLA 9, No. 4 Stanford 6
Stanford was unable to complete a sweep on day two of tournament play as UCLA (13-0) held off every charge in a 9-6 Bruin victory.
The Cardinal entered Saturday riding a seven-game winning streak against the Bruins, with its most recent loss a 9-7 setback on May 15, 2021.
Christina Hicks led the offense with a hat trick while Maggie Hawkins also contributed a multi-goal game with a pair of scores.
The teams traded scores up until the 1:53 mark of the second period, in which UCLA moved in front 4-3 and led the rest of the way.
Trailing 7-4, Stanford closed to within one following goals from Hawkins and Hicks in a one-minute span that bridged the final periods.
Maya Avital finished with 11 saves.
Stanford Goals: Christina Hicks (3), Maggie Hawkins (2), Quinn Healy (1).