Stanford Wins Invitational To Begin Season
Feb. 3, 2014
MPSF Women's Water Polo Release 4
STANFORD (4-0 Overall, 0-0 MPSF) opened its 2014 season with four home wins in winning its own invitational for the fifth straight year. The Cardinal got past UC Davis, 16-3, Hawaii, 16-5, UC Irvine, 13-9, and UCLA, 8-4. Kiley Neushul posted two hat tricks over the weekend, including a five-goal effort vs. UC Davis, on her way to an 11-goal total. Anna Yelizarova also accumulated 11 invitational goals in four games. Gabby Stone collected 10 saves in the cage in the championship vs. UCLA.
UCLA (11-1 Overall, 0-0 MPSF) defeated Michigan, 12-3, California in overtime, 10-9, and San Jose State, 14-6, this past weekend at Stanford. Becca Dorst recorded 10 goals and three steals over the four games, and owns 22 goals for the year (2.00 GPG). Goalkeeper Sami Hill picked up 10 saves in the championship game against Stanford.
CALIFORNIA (9-1 Overall, 0-0 MPSF) freshman Dora Antal accumulated 15 goals in leading three wins at the Stanford Invitational. She scored a tournament-high six goals against Michigan, a 9-6 Cal win, along with five against No. 5 UC Irvine, also won by Cal, 12-6. The Bears third win came in a tight 9-8 outcome over San Jose State. Antal is the MPSF leading scorer through 10 games, the first to put away 40, for an average of four per contest.
SAN JOSE STATE (8-5 Overall, 0-0 MPSF) Rae Lekness and Clara Espar totaled seven goals apiece in the four games at the Stanford Invitational. The Spartans came away with a win over Michigan, 14-6, and within one goal of two top-six teams, 9-8 against No. 5 Cal and 12-11 vs. No. 6 Hawaii.
BAKERSFIELD (3-7 Overall, 0-0 MPSF) split two games at Cal Baptist this past Saturday, defeating Claremont, 13-9, and losing to San Diego State, 14-6. Niki De Leon combined for five goals and four drawn ejections. Courtney Wahlstrom combined for 21 saves in the cage, 13 vs. the Aztecs.
ARIZONA STATE (3-2 Overall, 0-0 MPSF) kicked-off the 2014 season at the UC Santa Barbara Invitational Jan. 24-26, going 3-2. The Sun Devils knocked off Azusa Pacific, 17-2, CSU Monterey Bay, 23-2, and UCSB, 11-6, before falling to UC San Diego 12-11, and UC Irvine, 9-6. Alkistis Benekou accumulated 16 goals in the five games (3.20 GPG) to begin her collegiate career. The Sun Devils take on Hartwick Saturday at noon, the first of their four games at the UCSD Invitational (Feb. 8-9).
USC (0-0 Overall, 0-0 MPSF) opens its season this weekend (Feb. 8-9) at the UC San Diego Invitational, playing four games. The defending MPSF and NCAA Champion Trojans first meet Sonoma State at 8 am Saturday.