Nov. 17, 2011

Big Splash Ticket Information

STANFORD, Calif. - Two hours before the schools' football teams meet in the 114th Big Game, No. 4 Stanford men's water polo and No. 3 California will meet in the Big Splash at 5:15 p.m. at Avery Aquatic Center.

Tickets are still available through the link above, by visiting the Stanford Ticket Office or by calling 800-STANFORD. Ticket prices are $10 for adults, and $5 for seniors, youths (ages 2-17) and non-Stanford college students.

At stake in Saturday's Big Splash between the bitter rivals is a chance to clinch at least the No. 3 seed, and even a chance to move as high as the No. 2 seed, at the MPSF Championship tournament, set to be held Nov. 25-27 at UCLA, as well as a key head-to-head win in the pursuit of the at-large berth into the National Collegiate Championship from Dec. 3-4 in Berkeley.

The contest also marks the final home contest for a quartet of Stanford seniors. Being recognized pregame will be Ryan Kent, Brian Pingree, Peter Sefton and Jacob Smith.

Stanford enters Saturday's contest having won nine of its past 10, most recently sweeping Santa Clara and UC Davis at home last weekend. Leading the Cardinal offensively so far this season is the trio of freshman Alex Bowen, with 53 goals, Smith (38 goals) and two-meter redshirt sophomore Forrest Watkins (34 goals).

The Cardinal defense, anchored by Pingree (second in the MPSF with a 5.55 goals-against average), ranks second in the MPSF allowing just 5.41 goals per game.

That defense will go up against the conference's top offense in California, which averages 12.50 goals per game. Leading that Golden Bear attacks is Ivan Rackov, the MPSF's most efficient scorer with 2.95 goals per game and 62 total. Adding to California's offense are the Saponjic brothers, Luka (37 goals) and Aleksa (25).

Saturday will mark the third meeting of the season between the two schools. Stanford and California have split the first two meetings, as the Golden Bears captured an 8-7 win in the third-place game of the NorCal Invitational on Sept. 18, and the Cardinal returned the favor with a 10-9 overtime win in the SoCal Tournament's title game on Oct. 2. Bowen scored six goals in that title game win for Stanford.

Stanford currently holds a 7-5 edge in the Big Splash since 1999, when the Steve Heaston Trophy was first awarded to the winner. California won last year's Big Splash, though, 9-6 in Berkeley, but the Cardinal got a measure of revenge by eliminating the top-ranked Golden Bears from the MPSF Championship with an 8-6 win at Stanford a week later.