Cardinal can’t tread previous Bears in second Huge Splash of 2023

3 weeks ago 2 min read

No. 4 Stanford males’s water polo (14-7, 2-4 MPSF) floundered throughout their third battle in opposition to No. 2 California (19-4, 3-3 MPSF) Saturday at Spieker Aquatics Heart in Berkeley, California.

The Huge Splash, the yearly competitors held between the Bears and the Cardinal, was held on Nov. 11 following two common season matchups earlier this fall. The Cardinal beforehand fell in double time beyond regulation 17-18 to the Bears on Sept. 23, however obtained again on their ft on Oct. 14 with a decisive common time 9-8 win.

Their third assembly with Cal led to a fast defeat. The Bears scored twice within the first two minutes of the sport; redshirt sophomore Grant Watson answered along with his first of the sport to deliver the rating to an in depth 1-2. The Bears continued pushing all through the primary quarter, ending with 4 objectives to the Cardinal’s two.

Senior Riley Pittman led the Cardinal within the first with a objective and adopted with two extra all through the match, incomes a hat trick — his sixteenth sport this season scoring quite a few objectives. Pittman has led the workforce in objectives this season, nevertheless it was not sufficient in opposition to the Berkeley offense.

Starting the second quarter, senior Ethan Parrish took off on his run for a hat trick, scoring twice to provide the Cardinal its solely objectives within the second interval of play.

Junior goalkeeper Liam Harrison held his personal within the web all through the match, incomes his first look and begin since 2021, and saving a decisive 12 blocks for the Cardinal protection. Harrison ended the primary half making three back-to-back blocks and a essential steal within the final 13 seconds.

At halftime, the Cardinal have been down 4-6, and the Bears saved their momentum all through the second half. Within the third, the Bears scored 3 and Stanford’s latest junior switch Tanner Pulice was solely in a position to put one behind the web.

Pittman and Parrish accomplished their hat tips within the fourth, nevertheless it was not sufficient as Cal prolonged their result in 4, ending the match with a victory (8-12).

The Huge Splash concluded the Cardinal’s common season as they sit up for the MPSF event beginning on Friday, Nov. 17. Due to a USC loss on Saturday, Stanford will enter the event taking the fifth seed, hoping to safe the convention title and a ticket to the NCAAs.