By Rick Eymer
Palo Alto Online Sports
Joslyn Tinkle is not afraid to admit that she loves scoring. Good thing her teammates love her for it.
Tinkle scored 18 points, on 8-of-12 shooting, and had seven rebounds and a blocked shot to help top-ranked Stanford down visiting Long Beach State, 77-41, on Sunday.
"I knew my role would be different this year, more significant," Tinkle said. "I worked hard over the offseason and I'm playing with much more confidence."
Chiney Ogwumike recorded a double-double with 16 points and a game-high 11 rebounds for the Cardinal (6-0), playing its first game as the No. 1 team in the country.
"We still have a lot to work on," Tinkle said. "But we embrace it."
Sophomore Taylor Greenfield, who added 11 points, including a 3 of 5 effort from 3-point range, agreed with Tinkle about the team's ranking.
"We feel good about it," she said. "It's cool but we need to prove we are No. 1 and continue to prove it every single game."
Amber Orrange had another all-around performance with 13 points, nine assists and seven rebounds.
"Amber did a great job running our team," Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer said. "She got us going. I also liked that people wanted to score."
The Cardinal blistered the rims to the tune of 65 percent from the field through the first 12 minutes, making 13 of its first 20 shot attempts, including six of eight from long range. The 49ers were six of 20 over the same stretch.
Stanford plays at UC Davis on Friday at 7 p.m. and then moves on to Gonzaga for a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. Following a two-week break for finals, the Cardinal return home to meet and greet No. 2 Connecticut on Nov. 29.
"We want to be road warriors," Tinkle said. "Regardless of where we play, home or away, we have to bring it every game, whether it's a different atmosphere or not."
Stanford won its' 81st consecutive home game as Ogwumike recorded her fourth double-double of the year.
Ogwumike and Tinkle have recorded double figures in scoring in each of the first six games.
Men's water polo
Menlo School grad Scott Platshon recorded 13 saves but fourth-ranked Stanford fell to UCLA, 10-9, in triple overtime Sunday in the third-place game of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation tournament at USC.
BJ Churnside and Bret Bonnani each scored twice for the Cardinal (16-7), which needed a fourth period comeback to tie the game and send it into overtime.
