STANFORD, Calif. – For the third year in a row, No. 2 Stanford has won the Big Splash. The Cardinal rode a third-period rally, and six goals from Ben Forer, to move to 19-2 on the year and 5-1 in MPSF play. The win gives the Card five MPSF wins on the year, the most in a season since going 5-4 in 2015, and secures the top seed for Stanford in next weekend’s MPSF Championship,
Stanford struck first, with Alex Gheorghe finding the back of the net less than a minute into the game. Then Connor Ohl struck to make it 2-0 with 5:30 to go in the period. California battled back to tie it at 2-2, but Dimitris Chatzis put the Card back in front at the 2:14 mark.
Ben Forer added a goal in the period as well, as the two sides traded blows to enter the second tied at 4-4.
California took the lead at 5-4 with 6:19 to go in the second, but the teams again traded off goals to enter the break knotted at 7-7. Botond Balogh scored his second of the game with just under a minute left in the half to keep things level
The Golden Bears took the lead with 6:41 to go in the period, but Forer quickly put the Cardinal back in front. The junior scored his third goal of the day at the 5:32 mark to tie it, then added his fourth at the 4:57 mark to put Stanford ahead 9-8.
Chatzis kept up the attack, scoring his second of the game with 1:33 to go in the period to double the lead at 10-8. The three-straight goals sent the Card into the break with a two goal lead and the momentum – keeping California scoreless for the last 6:41 of the period.
Forer didn’t waste any time in the fourth, keeping the pressure on with his fifth goal of the game just 16 seconds into the period. Then at the 5:49 mark, Gheorghe’s second goal made it a four-goal game at 12-8.
California snapped the scoring run with 5:23 remaining in the game, cutting into the lead and making it 12-9. The Bears scored again at the 4:03 to make it a two-goal game at 12-10.
Gavin West stopped the California scoring run at the 2:47 mark, scoring to make it a 13-10 lead. Then with 1:52 left, Gheorghe scored his third to make it a four-goal game.
California scored with 1:05 to go in the game to make it 14-11, but Forer scored his sixth just 20 seconds later to make it 15-11. The six goals tied a season high for Forer, who also tallied six in against then-No.1 vs UCLA on Sept. 20.
The win is the Cardinal’s seventh against the Golden Bears in the last nine tries, dating back to the start of 2024. The win is also the team’s third over the No. 1 team in the country this season, after beating No. 1 UCLA twice previously. Additionally, Stanford finishes the year 9-1 at Avery Aquatic Center.
Next week kicks off the postseason for Stanford, starting with the MPSF Tournament in Los Angeles. The USC-hosted tournament gets started on Friday, Nov. 20 at Uytengsu Aquatics Center, with all tournament games streamed on Overnght.
The Cardinal will enter the tournament as the No. 1 seed, opening the team’s postseason campaign at 1:00 p.m. PT. Stanford will take on the winner of Friday morning’s matchup between No. 8-seeded Augustana and No. 9-seeded Conn College.
Stanford Goals: Â B. Forer (6), A. Gheorghe (3), B. Balogh (2), D. Chatzis (2), C. Ohl, G. West