Stanford hopes Stanford hopes (May 05, 2004)for one more shot at USC

That could come Sunday in the NCAA Final Four championship match for No. 1 Trojans and No. 2 Cardinal

by Rick Eymer

The Stanford women's water polo team wants one more chance to play conference rival USC this season. Should that happen, it would have to be in Sunday's NCAA championship contest at 4 p.m.

Second-ranked Stanford (20-4) earned an at-large bid for the NCAA Final Four after reaching the title game of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation tournament on Sunday, losing to - who else - the Women of Troy, 8-7, in overtime at the U.S. Water Polo National Aquatic Center in Long Beach.

The NCAA tournament begins Saturday at Stanford with top-ranked USC playing fourth-seeded Hartwick College at 6 p.m., and the second-seeded Cardinal meeting third-seeded Loyola Marymount at 7:30 p.m. in the national semifinals.

Stanford has reached the championship game in each of the past three years, winning the national title in 2002.

Against the rest of the collegiate world, the Cardinal are undefeated in 20 games. All four of Stanford's losses have come to the Women of Troy, who take a 27-0 record into the final weekend.

USC has outscored the Cardinal 34-24 in the four games, or by an average of 2.5 goals a game. USC holds a 7-10 advantage in the series against Stanford since 1998.

The Cardinal have not played Loyola Marymount or Hartwick this season, but are a combined 3-0 against the two schools since 1998.

Stanford nearly pulled off the upset, taking a 6-5 lead into the fourth period. The Cardinal failed to score in the final period, while USC got a late goal to send the game into overtime.

The Women of Troy scored a goal in each of the two overtime periods to take an 8-6 lead. Senior Lauren Faust scored to make it 8-7, but USC was able to run out the clock for the win.

Faust led the Cardinal with three goals, while junior Kelty Luber added two and Palo Alto grad Laurel Champion had one.

Stanford edged third-ranked UCLA, 3-2, in Saturday's semifinal as freshman Katie Hansen scored with just over a minute remaining to play as the Cardinal survived a fierce defensive struggle.

The Cardinal held a 2-0 lead at halftime after goals by senior Wendy Watkins and sophomore Nancy El-Sakkary.

UCLA missed two shots on goal in the final 30 seconds.

Stanford opened the tournament with a 10-3 win over Hawaii on Friday as sophomore Scotti Shafer scored three goals and Hansen added two.

The Cardinal scored five goals in the second period to take a commanding 6-1 lead at halftime.

Five others also scored for Stanford: Alison Gregorka, Val Riss, Hannah Luber, Kelty Luber, and Champion.

Freshman goalie Meredith McColl had seven saves.

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