Los Angeles - A four-goal second quarter by No. 2 Stanford was too much for the No. 7 Pacific men's water polo team to overcome as the Tigers fell in the SoCal quarterfinals to the Cardinal, 12-6. Devon Thumwood scored a pair of goals for Pacific.
The Tigers fall to 11-5 overall and will face either No. 3 Cal and No. 5 Long Beach State on Sunday in the consolation semifinals at 9:25 a.m.
The two teams played solid defense before Adam Abdulhamid finally opened the scoring after 4:35 with a goal for Stanford. On the ensuing possession, Reeves finished off a 6-on-5 opportunity for the Tigers.
Just before the end of the quarter, Simon Vogel put the Tigers in front with a goal at the 25 second mark. But Nick Hoversten beat the clock for the Cardinal to draw level at 2-2 after one quarter.
Bret Bonanni finished for a 3-2 Stanford lead with 6:54 left in the second. The Cardinal took a two-goal lead as Abdulhamid posted the cross-cage goal at the 5:29 mark. Conner Cleary stretched the Stanford lead to 5-2, and Cody Smith tacked on another before the end of the period as the Cardinal led 6-2 at the break.
Ben Stevenson capitalized on a 6-on-5 opportunity to bring the Tigers within 6-3. But Bonnani tallied again with a cross-cage effort to restore a 7-3 lead with 4:07 to go in the third. After a stop, Connor Stapleton stretched the Cardinal lead to 8-3.
Devon Thumwood posted a goal for Pacific as the Tigers clawed within 8-4 with 1:58 to go in the third. But Reid Chase finished at the other end for Stanford to restore a five-goal lead.
Thumwood immediately responded with his second of the game, but Pacific couldn't cut into the lead further before the end of the third quarter, trailing 9-5.
After Alex Bowen scored for Stanford at the 6:40 mark, Sean Grady answered to keep the Tigers within 10-6. But B.J. Churnside converted at the other end restoring a five-goal lead for Stanford.
Griffin Bolan tacked on a goal late for the Cardinal to settle on the final margin of 12-6.
Stanford moves to 14-1 on the season and heads into Sunday's semifinals against the winner of Cal and Long Beach State. Pacific will face the loser of Cal versus Long Beach State.
