STOCKTON, Calif. – No. 3 Stanford moved to 5-0 on the season today, riding a dominant defensive effort in the second half to take down No. 10 Pacific 19-6.
The Cardinal hit the ground running, scoring the first four goals of the game to lead 4-0 after the first period was over. Connor Ohl, James Rozolis-Hill, Dimitris Chatzis and Botond Balogh all found the back of the net in the opening flurry.
Both offenses found more of a groove in the second, with the hosting Tigers scoring a pair of answered goals to open the period and cut the lead in half at 4-2. Chatzis answered for the Card with his second goal of the afternoon, followed quickly by Konstantinos Mathiopoulos and Kai Kaneko making it 7-2.
Another pair of Pacific goals made it a three-goal lead with 3:17 to go in the half, but once again the Card was able to respond and extend the lead. Alex Gheorghe provided the answer with a pair of scores himself to push it to 9-4. Kaneko added one more to make it 10-4 before the Tigers were able to score with 11 seconds left and make it 10-5. Not to be outdone, Ryan Ohl scored with one second left in the half for a 12-5 lead.
After halftime, the Cardinal tightened the clamps on defense. Pacific’s lone goal in the second half came with ten seconds left in the game, coming on a powerplay. Prior to that, the Tigers were 0-8 in man-advantage situations.
The Cardinal scored three times in the third, and five times in the fourth, to ice the win at 19-6.
Connor Ohl and Alex Gheorghe each finished with hat tricks, while Kaneko, Chatzis and Botond Balogh finished with two goals apiece. Balogh and Kaneko both added in a pair of assists as well, leading all players with four points.
In the cage, Bernardo Herzer was lights out again – making nine saves and allowing just five goals. The senior has finished with nine or more saves in all four of his starts this season.
Stanford’s at home next weekend, hosting the MPSF Invitational. The three day tournament begins on Friday, and tickets are available at Tickets.GoStanford.com.
Stanford Goals: A. Gheorghe (3), C. Ohl (3), B. Balogh (2), D. Chatzis (2), K. Kaneko (2), R. Ohl, K. Mathiopoulos, J. Rozolis-Hill, C. Arakelian, C. Caras, G. Leonardi, W. Schneider