Nov. 12, 2008
Weekly Notes 
Saturday, Nov. 15 - Stanford, Calif.
- vs. -
USC (22-0, 7-0 MPSF) - 2 p.m.
STANFORD, Calif. - The No. 3 Stanford men's water polo team returns to Avery Aquatic Center Saturday afternoon for its final regular-season home contest, hosting the top-ranked USC Trojans (22-0, 7-0 MPSF) at 2 p.m. Saturday's contest will mark the third meeting of the season between the Cardinal and Trojans, this time with the inside track to the top seed of the MPSF Tournament at stake.
About The Opposition
USC, under the tutelage of 14th-year head coach Jovan Vavic, makes its first visit of 2008 to Avery Aquatic Center boasting a perfect 22-0 overall record and leading the MPSF with a 7-0 mark. Saturday's game will also be the MPSF finale for the Trojans, who, with a win, would wrap up the MPSF regular-season title and top seed at the MPSF Tournament set for Nov. 28-30. The Trojans, national finalists in each of the past two seasons, are led offensively by 2008 Olympian J.W. Krumpholz (35 goals), Shea Buckner (33 goals) and Matt Sagehorn (32 goals), while in the cage Joel Dennerley averages 8.53 saves per game while boasting a goals-against average of just 4.74.
Stanford In The National Rankings
Stanford dropped a spot in the national rankings to No. 3 after splitting a pair of MPSF contests last weekend. The Cardinal switched spots in the poll with UCLA, which now occupies the second spot.
Lot To Be Decided Saturday
There is much at stake in Saturday's Stanford-USC contest at Avery Aquatic Center. First and foremost, the fight for the MPSF regular-season title and the top seed at the Nov. 28-30 MPSF Tournament could be decided with a USC victory, as th contest is USC's final MPSF game. A win would give the Trojans the conference regular-season title with an 8-0 mark. Should the Cardinal come out victorious Saturday, it would take over the inside track for the title and tournament top seed. With a win, Stanford would have a 6-1 conference mark and would need to defeat California on Nov. 22 to claim the title and top seed with a 7-1 record. Stanford would then win the tiebreaker with USC by virtue of the head-to-head MPSF victory over the Trojans.
A victory over the Trojans would also strengthen the Cardinal's resume, giving it wins over all four of the other top-five teams in the nation, a vital stat to have when it comes time to determine the berths in the national championship.
Farewell To The Seniors
Saturday's contest also marks the final regular-season home contest for a quartet of Stanford seniors. Driver Andrew Drake, utility Will Hindle-Katel, driver Chris Jacobson and driver Steven Wright will be honored at Saturday's game against USC. Hindle-Katel, a native of Tarzana, Calif., leads this pack of seniors with a pair of second-team All-America selections, three All-MPSF honors, the MPSF Newcomer of the Year award in 2005 and 131 career goals, while Drake, from Lodi, Calif., enters Saturday's game having scored 65 career goals. Jacobson, from Santa Cruz, enters the game with a career tally of 36 career goals, and a season-high total of 15 in 2008, while Wright has scored 10 goals in his time on The Farm.
Bouncing Back Well
Although Sunday's 5-4 upset loss to UC Santa Barbara stung, Stanford will be ready to bounce back from the setback moving ahead. If this season can be something by which to judge Stanford's ability to bounce back from losses, one could look at the Cardinal's six-game winning streak following the first loss of the season on Sept. 21 to USC. Following the Cardinal's second loss, this time on Oct. 12 again to USC, the Cardinal reeled off eight straight wins in response.
Water Polo And Football Battle Trojans Saturday
The Stanford-USC battle will not be limited to Avery Aquatic Center Saturday afternoon, as following the water polo contest, the Cardinal and Trojan football teams will take to the gridiron next door at Stanford Stadium at 4 p.m. Tailgating fans can take advantage of the free admission to water polo and cheer the Cardinal to a water polo victory well before kickoff. This season, Stanford men's water polo has played in the same area on the same day as football twice so far, on Oct. 18 in Los Angeles and Nov. 1 at home.
In Los Angeles, the water polo team routed UCLA, 12-2, at the Rose Bowl Aquatic Center, but football could not complete the sweep at the Rose Bowl, falling 24-21 to the Bruins. Two weeks later, the Cardinal downed UC Irvine, 14-5, at home, and this time football was able to come out victorious hours later, defeating Washington State by a score of 58-0.
"Wright" Of Way To The Net
2007 first-team All-American Sage Wright is enjoying another high-scoring season in 2008, closing in on his tally of 33 goals last year. Wright netted four goals over Stanford's two games last weekend, bringing his 2008 total to 31 goals, third-best on the team. Last year, Wright shared the team lead with 33 goals, and once again this year is in contention for the team scoring title.
You Shall Not Pass
Stanford goalie Jimmie Sandman continues to be a wall in net for the Cardinal, leading all full-time MPSF goalies with a 4.25 goals-against average. Behind the play of Sandman and the Cardinal defense, Stanford has allowed the opposition to score in double digits in a single game only twice in 24 contests this season.
Among The MPSF Leaders
With two weekends left in the 2008 regular season, Stanford continues to hold lofty positions in the MPSF statistical rankings. In the team stats categories, the Cardinal boast the conference's second-most efficient offense, with 11.67 goals per game. On the defensive end, the Cardinal defense is also second with just 4.79 goals allowed per game.
Individually, Janson and Drac Wigo continue to hold spots in the conference's top 10 for goals per game. Janson's 1.83 goals per game ranks sixth in the MPSF, while Drac's average of 1.67 stands tenth. Sage Wright is also in the MPSF's top 25, standing 24th with an average of 1.23.
On the defensive end of the tank, starter Jimmie Sandman leads the conference with a 4.25 goals-against average among all full-time MPSF goalkeepers, while fellow cage-minder Brian Pingree boasts a 2.50 goals-against average over his 12 appearances on the year.
Head Coach John Vargas
Head coach John Vargas enters his seventh year at the helm of the Cardinal program in 2008. Vargas' record at Stanford is 144-42 (.774) against the top collegiate competition in the country, and he led the Cardinal to the 2002 national title in his first year at the helm. Including this season, he has also led the Cardinal to the 20-win mark five times. Under Vargas' watch, 29 Stanford water polo players have earned All-America honors, including six in 2007, the program's highest total since 2001. Three of his former Stanford players, Tony Azevedo, Peter Hudnut, and Peter Varellas, represented the United States as part of its 2008 Olympic Team in Beijing.
