March 11, 2006

DAVIS, Calif. - No. 14 UC Davis was unable to overcome No. 2 Stanford on Saturday afternoon in a non-conference game held at Schaal Aquatics Center. The Cardinals took the lead early in the first quarter and were able to hold onto it throughout the game coming away with a 9-3 victory.

With the loss the Aggies fall to 9-8 on the season while the Cardinal improves to 12-3.

Stanford's Lauren Silver got the ball rolling for the Cardinal with a shot scored with five minutes and 51 seconds on the clock. Scotti Shafer scored the first of three goals less than a minute later on a fast break counter attack to bring the Stanford lead to 2-0.

The Aggies would not remain scoreless for long as Jessica Soza broke through the Cardinal defense with a high corner goal that brought UC Davis within one point. With only ten seconds remaining in the first quarter, the Cardinal drew an Aggie exclusion and Jessica Steffens was able to convert the six-on-five opportunity in a matter of seconds to end the quarter with a 3-1 lead.

UC Davis was the first to get on the board in the second quarter with a six-on-five power play goal scored by Mary Lowe, once again bringing the Aggies within one point of the Cardinal. Stanford responded with a six-on-five goal of its own a few minutes later provided by Silver. During the next possession, Aggie leading scorer Katherine O'Rourke skipped the ball into the back of the Stanford cage to bring the score to 4-3.

In the final two minutes of the first half, Stanford's Katie Hansen and Shafer were both able to find the back of the net for the Cardinal to further their lead to 6-3 heading into halftime.

UC Davis' defense stepped it up in the third quarter as they held the Cardinal scoreless for six minutes and 56 seconds before Hansen scored the lone goal of the quarter.

Shafer completed her hat trick early in the fourth quarter to bring the score to 8-3. A little over a minute later Heather West scored off the post on a six-on-five. West's goal proved to be the final goal of the game as Stanford sealed the 9-3 victory.

UC Davis goalie Lina Moore posted 10 saves in the loss, her second highest save count this season.

"We made mistakes and they capitalized on them. We talked all week about maintaining ball control and we did that well. They outswam us, but once we made them play front court offense, we played great defense," said head coach Jamey Wright.

"We played a good first half but they are a fast team and they kept the pressure on the entire game. We just couldn't make our six-on-five opportunities which is something we have been working on a lot. All in all though it was a pretty good game for us."

Stanford 9, UC Davis 3

             1    2    3    4     FinalStanford     3    3    1    2       9UC Davis     1    2    0    0       3

Stanford Goals: Scotti Shaffer 3, Katie Hansen 2, Lauren Silver 2, Jessica Steffens 1, Heather West 1.
UC Davis Goals: Katherine O'Rourke 1, Jessica Soza 1, Mary Lowe 1.

Stanford Goalie Saves: Meredith McColl 5.
UC Davis Goalie Saves: Lina Moore 10.