Feb. 17, 2007

PALO ALTO, CALIF. -- The No. 2 USC women's water polo team came up short in an overtime battle at No. 3 Stanford, winding up with a 10-8 loss for the Trojans' first MPSF loss of the year. USC senior Patty Cardenas scored to give the Trojans a 5-4 lead entering the fourth quarter, then scored her third to tie up the game with eight seconds left in regulation. But the Cardinal scored three straight goals during overtime to take over the game, improving Stanford's record to 6-1overall and 3-0 in MPSF play, while USC moves to 5-2, 1-1.

The Cardinal jumped out to a 3-0 lead before USC got on the board in the first period. Patty Cardenas scored on a penatly shot, and then Kami Craig knocked in a goal to cut Stanford's lead to 3-2 during the second period, and the teams wound up tied 4-4 by halftime.

The Women of Troy took their first lead of the game with a score from Cardenas during the third frame, as the Trojans shut down Stanford in the period. The Cardinal broke out of that slump in the fourth, however, and went ahead 7-6. Craig scored her second during that period for USC, and then Cardenas forced overtime with her third goal of the game coming with eights seconds to go.

In overtime, USC got a quick goal, but that was it for the Trojans. Meanwhile, Stanford managed three more before the final buzzer to grab the victory and stay undefeated in MPSF action.

USC now heads to face No. 6 San Jose State in a noon game on Sunday (Feb. 18) in an MPSF match in San Jose.

#3 Stanford 10, #2 USC 8 OT
STAN 3 - 1 - 0 - 3 -- 1 - 2 -- 10
USC 1 - 3 - 1 - 2 -- 1 - 0 -- 8

SCORING:
STAN -- Silver 3, Hewko 2, Eaton 2, Gauthier 2, Steffens.
USC -- Patty Cardenas 3, Kami Craig 2, Veronika Bartunkova, Michelle Stein, Erika Figge.
SAVES: n/a