Box Score April 17, 2016 Final Stats
STANFORD, Calif. - Senior midfielder Courtney Neff, attacker Melissa Kellan recorded a team-high three total points, and goalie Lauren Ali notched 11 saves but UC Davis was unable to keep pace against No. 9 Stanford in the second half, falling by a 13-6 final in Mountain Pacific Sports Federation women's lacrosse action at Laird Q. Cagan Stadium at Maloney Field Sunday afternoon.
The Aggies move to 5-6 for the year and even their conference record to 3-3, moving them into a tie for fifth place with Denver in the MPSF standings. The Cardinal improves to 12-2 overall and remains unbeaten in league play at 7-0.
Neff scored her first goal late in the first half to pull UC Davis to within a 5-4 deficit, then recorded another midway through the second stanza. Kellan scored one goal with assists to Neff and freshman Shannon Cross. Senior Ellie Delich and freshman Taylor Cuenin also hit one goal each for the Aggies. Defensively, senior midfielder Mary Doyle led UC Davis with four ground balls and two caused turnovers. Tess Kevorkian and Savannah Hadley also had two steals among their team's nine overall.
Stanford junior Kelsey Murray scored four goals with two assists for a game-high seven points. Goalie Allie DeCar posted eight saves, all in the second half. Meg Lentz and Maggie Nick each won four draw controls to help the Cardinal win that category by a 15-7 margin. Stanford entered the week ranked fifth nationally in draw controls per game.
Kellan's goal in the 21st minute came off of a steal from Cuenin, boosting UC Davis to a 3-2 lead. Doyle picked Mackenzie Tesei for a steal after Stanford won the ensuing draw, but a failed clearing attempt kept possession in the Farm's attacking third. Alex Poplawski eventually scored an eight-meter goal to ignite a run of three straight Stanford goals during the next 90 seconds.
Facing a 5-3 deficit, Delich won the next draw, which led to Kellan's assist to Neff to bring UC Davis to within a goal with 2:31 remaining in the half. However, that proved to be the last Aggie goal for 18 minutes. Stanford took a 6-4 lead at halftime then extended it to 9-4 by the 38th minute. Neff converted an eight-meter try in the 44th and Kellan assisted Cross on a second-chance goal in the 48th to pull UC Davis to within a 10-6 margin.
DeCar had six of her eight total saves after that point, holding the Aggies in check en route to the win.
The Stanford advantage in draw controls largely accounted for the difference in the game. UC Davis committed only 10 turnovers in the game, completed 9 of 10 transition attempts, and matched its host in ground balls, 14-14.
The Aggies return home to host Fresno State in a Tuesday 4 p.m. tilt. The team will honor six seniors - Neff, Doyle, Delich, Hadley, Morgan Sissler and Sam Axenroth - who will play in their final games at Aggie Stadium.
| UC Davis (5-6, 3-3) | 4 | 2 | - | 6 |
| No. 9 Stanford (12-2, 7-0) | 6 | 7 | - | 13 |
GOALS - UC DAVIS: Courtney Neff 2, Melissa Kellan 1, Taylor Cuenin 1. STANFORD: Kelsey Murray 4, Mackenzie Tesei 2, Laura Klein 2, Alex Poplawski 2, Dillon Schoen 1, Kelly Myers 1, Maggie Nick 1.
ASSISTS - UC DAVIS: Melissa Kellan 2, Taylor Cuenin 1. STANFORD: Kelsey Murray 2, Dillon Schoen 2, Mackenzie Tesei 2.
GOALIE SAVES - UC DAVIS: Lauren Ali 11 (60:00). STANFORD: Allie DeCar 8 (60:00).
