UCLA Loses Title Game to Stanford, 8-4

In a game involving the UCLA and Stanford women’s water polo teams, it’s a toss-up as to who will win.

The teams played each other in the last two Mountain Pacific Sports Federation title games and in the 2001 NCAA championship game, with UCLA winning the 2001 NCAA and 2002 MPSF titles. But Sunday, Stanford came out on top, earning its first NCAA championship with an 8-4 victory over the Bruins at the McDonald’s Swim Stadium at USC.

“This was all about us today,” Stanford senior Katie Pettit said. “It was all about our intensity and wanting to step up. We wanted this feeling and we deserve it.”

Stanford jumped to a 3-0 lead with 5:24 left in the first quarter.

“After being down 3-0, not to take anything away from Stanford, but I thought we had control of the game,” UCLA Coach Adam Krikorian said. “[UCLA] never stopped playing aggressive.”

The Bruins pulled within 4-2 late in the third quarter when sophomore Natalie Golda scored her second goal.

Then, Robin Beauregard’s shot ricocheted off the crossbar and landed on the goal line, and the Bruins believed it was a goal. But goalie Jackie Frank recovered the ball and passed it to Kelty Luber, who scored to put the Cardinal ahead, 5-2, with 1:01 to go in the quarter.

UCLA rallied within 7-4 on a goal from Kelly Heuchan with 2:33 left.

Frank, the tournament’s most valuable player, made 12 saves.

“They have a group of talented players, but Jackie Frank makes that team,” Krikorian said.

Loyola Marymount defeated Michigan, 6-4, for third place.