STANFORD, Calif. – No. 2 Stanford added another top-ranked win to the team’s NCAA résumé this afternoon, beating No. UCLA for the second time this season to move to 17-2 and 4-1 in MPSF play. The 11-8 win came just one day after beating No. 4 USC to cap a 2-0 MPSF weekend.
Ben Forer struck first for the Cardinal, taking advantage of a 6-on-5 a minute and a half into the game. On the next Stanford possession, Alex Gheorghe scored to double the lead at 2-0.
UCLA got on the board with 4:45 to go in the period, then scored again at the 3:07 mark to tie it at 2-2. Forer added his second of the period at the 2:43 mark to make it a 3-2 game, which would hold through the end of the first.
UCLA struck first in the second to tie it, but Botond Balogh scored on a penalty to go back in front 4-3 with 7:10 to go in the half. UCLA was able to tie it at four with 5:13 to go, but Collin Caras scored with 4:46 in the half to put the Card ahead 5-4. The lead would hold for the rest of the half, sending Stanford into the break with a one-goal lead.
Stanford came out firing in the third, scoring three-straight to open it up and take an 8-4 lead. Balogh opened the burst with his second goal of the day, then Ryan Ohl added his first and Forer added his third to take control of the game.
The Bruins snapped the streak of four unanswered goals with 4:30 left in the period, scoring three straight to cut it to a one-goal game at the end of the third.
The Card held the Bruins scoreless for the first five minutes of the fourth, but was unable to find the back of the net themselves and pad the lead. Then, with 2:42 to play, Balogh broke through. The junior ripped one into the far corner to make it a 9-7 game.
After a stop on the next defensive possession, Forer dropped in a goal over the goalie’s head to make it a 10-7 lead. UCLA scored with 1:18 remaining, but the Cardinal defense held and Guido Leonardi added another Stanford score in the closing seconds for an 11-8 final.
Forer led the way offensively with four goals and an assist, while Balogh chipped in three goals and an assist.
Gheorghe, Will Schneider and James Rozolis-Hill each drew a pair of exclusions to make life difficult defensively for the Bruins.
The win gives Stanford four MPSF victories for the second time in the last three years, and just the second time since 2015.
Stanford is at home again next weekend, hosting No. 5 Fordham on Sunday at 11:00 a.m. PT. Tickets for the game are available at Tickets.GoStanford.com, and the game will be streamed on Overnght.
Stanford Goals: B. Forer (4), B. Balogh (3), A. Gheorghe, R. Ohl, C. Caras, G. Leonardi