Maya_AvitalMaya_Avital
Women's Water Polo

Smothering Defense Sparks Win

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STANFORD, Calif. - Maya Avital finished with 13 saves and No. 3 Stanford's smothering defense did the rest, fueling a 13-4 victory over No. 15 Indiana on Sunday morning at Avery Aquatic Center.

Stanford (16-4, 4-1 MPSF) allowed four goals or fewer for the sixth time this season, holding one of the league's top offenses in Indiana (18-8, 0-5 MPSF) in check. Instead, the Hoosiers were limited to 15 percent shooting (4-27) overall and converted only one of seven power play opportunities.

Christina Hicks supplied the offensive firepower for the Cardinal, producing a first-half hat trick on the way to four goals on a team-high seven shots.

Kamryn Barone, Maggie Hawkins, Quinn Healy and Sophie Wallace contributed multi-goal performances for the Cardinal, which remained unbeaten in seven home games.

Stanford, which shot 48 percent overall, led wire-to-wire by building a 4-1 advantage after one period and extending it to 6-2 at halftime.

Hawkins and Hicks set the tone with two goals apiece in the first quarter before Hicks punctuated her hat trick with a beautiful backhand effort in the first minute of the second period.

Barone scored both of her goals in the third period while the Cardinal held the Hoosiers scoreless in that same stretch.

Quinn Healy became Stanford's sixth different goal scorer with two strikes in the fourth quarter.

Avital finished with double-digit saves for the eighth game this season, accomplishing the feat in only three quarters before Christine Carpenter and Jackie King closed out the fourth.

Stanford hosts California on Friday at 5 p.m. at Pac-12 Networks in its final home game of the season. Avital, Hicks, Skyler Jones, Sam Sternfels, Celeste Wijnbelt and Talie Wilmans will be honored in a Senior Night ceremony.

Stanford Goals: Christina Hicks (4), Kamryn Barone (2), Maggie Hawkins (2), Quinn Healy (2), Sophie Wallace (2), Alissa Pascual (1).