BOULDER, Colo. – Alex Poplawski scored a career-high five goals, including the clincher with 9:52 left, to lead No. 13 Stanford to a 16-14 women’s lacrosse victory over Colorado on Sunday.
Stanford (7-2 overall) closed the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation game with a 4-1 run, with Alexandra Crerend scoring back-to-back to put the Cardinal ahead for good at 15-13 with 12:54 left. The score remained within three goals throughout the game (Colorado led 8-5 in the first) and there were seven ties and five lead changes.
Stanford completed a two-game sweep of Colorado schools – beating defending champion Denver 14-7 on Friday – and now is among three remaining teams undefeated in MPSF play. San Diego State and USC are 4-0 and Stanford is 3-0.
Poplawski, a sophomore, had not scored more than a goal in any game this season, but took more of an offensive responsibility against Denver with a season-high four shots. Against Colorado, Poplawski took a career-high seven. Her previous high for goals was four, against Cornell last year.
Five players combined for all of Stanford’s goals. Hannah Farr, freshman Kelly Myers, and Crerend each scored three goals, and freshman Dillon Schoen scored twice off the bench.
Stanford was on the offensive throughout the game, forcing 17 saves from Colorado’s standout goalie Paige Soenksen. In a 2014 Stanford victory, Soenksen made a conference-record 19 saves. In all, Stanford outshot the Buffaloes, 36-23, but Colorado had the advantage in draw controls, 18-14.
Mackenzie Tesei, the hero of Stanford’s victory over Denver, had three assists Sunday and Farr had five draw controls to go with her hat trick and two assists. Lucy Dikeou was shut out for the first time this season, but had an assist and two groundballs.
Stanford returns home for a Thursday game against Oregon (9-4, 3-2) at 7 p.m. in a game televised by the Pac-12 Networks.
Stanford 16, Colorado 14
Stanford 8 8 – 16
Colorado 9 5 – 14
Stanford (goals-assists): Alex Poplawski 5-0, Hannah Farr 3-2, Alexandra Crerend 3-1, Kelly Myers 3-0, Dillon Schoen 2-1, Mackenzie Tesei 0-3, Lucy Dikeou 0-1. Totals 16-8.
Colorado: Johnna Fusco 3-1, Marie Moore 3-0, Darby Kiernan 2-1, Blair Sisk 2-0, Katie Macleav 1-2, Carly Cox 1-1, Cali Castagnola 1-0, Amanda Salvadore 0-1. Totals 14-6.
Records: Stanford 7-2, 3-0; Colorado 6-4, 1-2.
Stanford (7-2 overall) closed the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation game with a 4-1 run, with Alexandra Crerend scoring back-to-back to put the Cardinal ahead for good at 15-13 with 12:54 left. The score remained within three goals throughout the game (Colorado led 8-5 in the first) and there were seven ties and five lead changes.
Stanford completed a two-game sweep of Colorado schools – beating defending champion Denver 14-7 on Friday – and now is among three remaining teams undefeated in MPSF play. San Diego State and USC are 4-0 and Stanford is 3-0.
Poplawski, a sophomore, had not scored more than a goal in any game this season, but took more of an offensive responsibility against Denver with a season-high four shots. Against Colorado, Poplawski took a career-high seven. Her previous high for goals was four, against Cornell last year.
Five players combined for all of Stanford’s goals. Hannah Farr, freshman Kelly Myers, and Crerend each scored three goals, and freshman Dillon Schoen scored twice off the bench.
Stanford was on the offensive throughout the game, forcing 17 saves from Colorado’s standout goalie Paige Soenksen. In a 2014 Stanford victory, Soenksen made a conference-record 19 saves. In all, Stanford outshot the Buffaloes, 36-23, but Colorado had the advantage in draw controls, 18-14.
Mackenzie Tesei, the hero of Stanford’s victory over Denver, had three assists Sunday and Farr had five draw controls to go with her hat trick and two assists. Lucy Dikeou was shut out for the first time this season, but had an assist and two groundballs.
Stanford returns home for a Thursday game against Oregon (9-4, 3-2) at 7 p.m. in a game televised by the Pac-12 Networks.
* * *
Stanford 16, Colorado 14
Stanford 8 8 – 16
Colorado 9 5 – 14
Stanford (goals-assists): Alex Poplawski 5-0, Hannah Farr 3-2, Alexandra Crerend 3-1, Kelly Myers 3-0, Dillon Schoen 2-1, Mackenzie Tesei 0-3, Lucy Dikeou 0-1. Totals 16-8.
Colorado: Johnna Fusco 3-1, Marie Moore 3-0, Darby Kiernan 2-1, Blair Sisk 2-0, Katie Macleav 1-2, Carly Cox 1-1, Cali Castagnola 1-0, Amanda Salvadore 0-1. Totals 14-6.
Records: Stanford 7-2, 3-0; Colorado 6-4, 1-2.
