Stanford Repeats as NCAA Champion
May 14, 2012
MPSF Women's Water Polo Weekly Release - 5/14/12
STANFORD (26-2 Overall/7-0 MPSF) Kaley Dodson and Pallavi Menon each punched in a pair of goals, while tournament MVP Kate Baldoni collected 15 of her 29 tournament saves, as the Cardinal defended their NCAA Championship with a 6-4 outcome over third-seeded USC. Dodson broke the 4-4 tie at the 4:13 mark of the 4th quarter, before Menon's bar-in shot which provided some cushion at 1:11. Baldoni allowed just two goals over the final three championship periods, and just nine for the weekend. Ashley Grossman scored a hat trick in the 12-3 semifinal win over UC Irvine. Stanford claimed its third NCAA Championship ('02, '11, '12), and 103rd in all sports combined, each of which currently ranks second nationally. The Cardinal also gave the MPSF its 69th overall NCAA Title, including the 12th out of 12 possible in women's water polo.
USC (23-6 Overall/5-2 MPSF) Patricia Jancso slammed in seven tournament goals, including several from beyond five meters in the 12-10 semifinal win over No. 2 seed UCLA, as the Trojans eventually were the NCAA runner-up. Jancso, along with Monica Vavic, posted four goals against the Bruins. Flora Bolonyai had nine saves in the final and 28 total for the tournament. 10 Trojans' scored in the 14-2 quarterfinal over Princeton.
UCLA (23-4 Overall/5-2 MPSF) Sarah Orozco hit the second of her two goals with 2:43 left in the 4th quarter to break a 9-9 tie and win the third-place game over fourth-seeded UC Irvine. Hannah Sebenaler and Giselle Naranjo also scored a pair, and Caitlin Dement collected 12 saves. Orozco had a hat trick and KK Clark had a game-high four goals in the 14-3 quarterfinal over Iona.
2012 NCAA All-Tournament First Team Selections
| Student-Athlete | School | Year | Position |
| Kate Baldoni (MVP) | Stanford | JR | GK |
| Jesse Cardey | UC Irvine | JR | ATK |
| KK Clark | UCLA | SR | UTIL |
| Kaley Dodson | Stanford | SO | DR |
| Kaleigh Gilchrist | USC | SO | 2M |
| Patricia Jancso | USC | JR | 2M |
| Alyssa Lo | Stanford | SR | DR |
| Monica Vavic | USC | FR | DR |
2012 NCAA All-Tournament Second Team Selections
| Student-Athlete | School | Year | Position |
| Flora Bolonyai | USC | FR | GK |
| Emily Greenwood | UCLA | JR | UTIL |
| Perri Hopkins | Pomona | SR | UTIL |
| Kelsey Klatt | UC Irvine | JR | CEN |
| Cecilia Leonard | Iona | SR | UTIL |
| Erin Manke | LMU | JR | DR |
| Sarah Orozco | UCLA | SR | ATK |
| Katie Rigler | Princeton | SO | UTIL |