STANFORD, Calif. – No. 4 Stanford used three goals from redshirt freshman Mitchell Mendoza and 14 saves from junior goalkeeper Drew Holland to earn a hard-fought 6-5 victory over No. 2 and previously undefeated USC in the Kap7 NorCal Invitational semifinals Sunday afternoon at Avery Aquatic Center.
Stanford wins! Cardinal earns 6-5 win over USC and will face UCLA in Championship game at 6:15 #GoStanford pic.twitter.com/5qOPfguM9l
— Stanford Water Polo (@StanfordMWP) September 20, 2015
The Cardinal, the third seed, advance to the Kap7 NorCal Invitational Championship game against top-seeded and top-ranked UCLA at 6:15 p.m. PT at Avery Aquatic Center.
Stanford (8-0) jumped out to a 3-0 first-half lead with goals from Reid Chase, Adam Abdulhamid and Mendoza. Chase converted a penalty throw, with Abdulhamid connecting from the corner and Mendoza rocketing it in from long range.
Reid Chase with the goal to put Stanford up 1-0 over USC after one quarter of play #GoStanford pic.twitter.com/3WrL5U6BPX
— Stanford Water Polo (@StanfordMWP) September 20, 2015
(Chase's goal)
The Trojans (8-1) struck first to open the second half with a Blake Edwards goal midway through the third quarter. Mendoza countered with his second score of the contest just over a minute later, finding the top-right corner of the cage.
USC came back with three unanswered goals, capped by the equalizer from Edwards with 4:45 to play in the fourth.
The Trojans’ lead didn’t last long, however, as freshman Blake Parrish scored from the corner with 4:36 to play to give the Cardinal a 5-4 advantage.
Mendoza recorded the hat trick, scoring with 2:12 to play to give Stanford a 6-4 edge.
Mitchell Mendoza with his 3rd goal of the game to put Cardinal up, 6-4 with 2:30 to play #GoStanford pic.twitter.com/H71UZhJIkk
— Stanford Water Polo (@StanfordMWP) September 20, 2015
Edwards countered with a hat trick of his own for USC, cutting Stanford’s lead to 6-5 with under two minutes left, but Holland closed the door on the Trojans the rest of the way to seal the win for the Cardinal.
