NCAA Women’s Water Polo: Stanford Beats UCLA For The First Time

STANFORD, CA- Third-ranked Stanford upset No. 1 and three-time defending national champion UCLA 4-3 at deGuerre Pool in the season opener for both teams. Sophomore All-American Kris Koblik (Davis, CA/Davis) scored twice and senior All-American Heather Crary (Redwood City, CA/Menlo School) made 10 saves to lead the Cardinal (1-0, 1-0 MPSF) to its first-ever victory over the Bruins (0-1, 0-1) as a varsity program. It was the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation opener for both teams as well.

Sophomore Dani Bell (Long Beach, CA/Wilson), the Cardinal’s leading returning scorer, tallied in the first period to put Stanford ahead. UCLA came back to tie the score on a 6-on-5 goal from freshman Elaine Zivich (Lompoc, CA/Cabrillo). Freshman Kate Pettit (Bainbridge Island, WA/Bainbridge) scored in the second period to make it 2-1 at the half. Bruin senior Amanda Gall (Placentia, CA/El Dorado) scored early in the third to tie the game at two, but Koblik scored a pair of 6-on-5 goals, the second with 2:46 remaining in the game. Zivich brought the Bruins to within one, scoring her second goal with 1:38 remaining, but Stanford’s defense made the 4-3 lead stand up.

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