Publication Date: Wednesday, December 07, 2005
NCAA WATER POLO
Stanford men come close,
Stanford men come close,
(December 07, 2005)but fall to USC in finale
by Rick Eymer
Sandy Hohener made sure the Stanford men's water polo team had a chance, even in the final seconds.
The sophomore goalkeeper, who recorded all of 10 saves as a backup to All-American Chad Taylor last season, made 11 saves on Sunday but the second-ranked Cardinal (20-7) found USC goalie Adam Schilling just as impenetrable in a 3-2 loss to the Trojans in the NCAA championship game before a sellout crowd at Bucknell University's Kinney Natatorium in Lewisburg, Pa.
"It was a great defensive game," Stanford coach John Vargas said. "I couldn't be more proud of how we played. We had our matchups and had the right people on the right guys. We played great team defense, and Sandy Hohener had a great game. We played like we wanted to play in terms of controlling the game. USC did a great job on man-down defense."
In the final 2:49 Stanford had a man advantage twice, with one shot hitting off the top of the bar and another skipping short of the net.
USC scored twice in nine man advantage situations, while Stanford converted once in its eight chances.
"It was an NCAA final, and with the gunners like Stanford has, I'd say it was my best game," Schilling said. "It didn't take long to realize that it was going to be a defensive struggle, so I had to be on top of every shot. In the first half our shot-blocking defense was the key in 5-on-6."
Stanford seniors Peter Varellas and Thomas Hopkins were named first team all-tournament, while Hohener, junior J.J. Garton and freshman Will Hindle-Katel were chosen for the second team.
The 3-2 score in the finals marks the lowest scoring championship game in the history of the event, which dates to 1969.
"I can't believe this game only had five goals, but I love to win games like this," USC coach Jovan Vavic said. "If you asked me if I would rather win 10-9 or 3-2, I would say 3-2."
Sacred Heart Prep grad Brandon Child and Gunn grad Arjan Ligtenberg are both starters for USC, which graduates three seniors. Child is a junior while Ligtenberg is a freshman.
The Trojans and Stanford traded goals midway through the first period. Juan Delgadillo gave USC the early lead, but Varellas answered with a goal 12 seconds later.
Ted Zepfel put the Trojans on top, 2-1, with a goal at 6:39 of the second period. For nearly 15 minutes after, neither team could find a way to sneak a shot past Hohener or Schilling.
"We have played them so much in the past that we were able to scout their shooters," Hohener said. We worked hard in practice all week to replicate what they like to do."
Stanford tied the game less than a minute into the fourth period when Michael Bury sent s shot in the left corner of the net after taking a pass from Palo Alto grad Ryan Fortune.
Pavol Valovic scored the game winner with 3:10 remaining, setting up the final, frantic minutes, which included replaying the last 18 seconds.
The scoreboard malfunctioned and the remaining time was called aloud by the announcer. USC thought it had won then but Vargas filed a formal protest and the 18 seconds were placed back on the clock. The Cardinal were unable to take advantage of their second chance.
Stanford and USC played for the fifth time this season, with the Trojans winning each of them, four by one goal.
It was Stanford's 19th appearance in the championship match. The Cardinal have won 10 NCAA titles. USC won its third, and the second in three years. The Trojans also beat Stanford for the title in 2003.
Redshirt junior Marcello Pantuliano scored two goals and Stanford defeated Loyola Marymount, 7-6, on Saturday to reach its fifth straight title match.
Fortune, Varellas, Tyler Drake, Garton and Hindle-Katel also scored for Stanford.
Hindle-Katel's goal gave the Cardinal a 7-4 advantage in the third period.
Child scored twice for the Trojans in their 14-8 win over St. Francis College of Brooklyn on Saturday.
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