Nov. 19, 2008
Weekly Notes 
Saturday, Nov. 22 - Berkeley, Calif.
Stanford (21-4, 5-2 MPSF)
- at -
California (17-6, 3-3 MPSF) - 10 a.m.
STANFORD, Calif. - The No. 3 Stanford men's water polo team (21-4, 5-2 MPSF) travels to Berkeley Saturday to face California (17-6, 3-3 MPSF) in the Big Splash to close out the 2008 regular season. The finale is pivotal for the Cardinal as a win would secure it the No. 2 seed at the MPSF Tournament, set for Nov. 28-30 in Malibu.
About The Opposition
California, the defending national champion, heads into Saturday's contest with an overall mark of 17-6 and a 3-3 MPSF record. The Golden Bears have also won six of their last seven contests, with the lone loss being an 11-9 defeat at the hands of top-ranked and undefeated USC on Nov. 8. California closes its 2008 regular season this weekend as well, ending the MPSF slate with Saturday's game against the Cardinal and a Sunday contest against Pacific. The Golden Bears are paced offensively by co-scoring leaders Frank Reynolds and Spencer Warden, who each have 31 goals to their respective credit. Goalie Jacob McIntosh sports a 6.71 goals-against average and 9.00 saves per game.
Stanford In The National Rankings
Stanford remained No. 3 in the national rankings despite the 6-5 loss to top-ranked USC last weekend.
MPSF Tournament Seedings To Be Determined This Weekend
Saturday's game against California will decide Stanford's placement in the MPSF Tournament, to be held Nov. 28-30 at Pepperdine. With a victory, Stanford will clinch the tournament's second seed with a 6-2 MPSF record. Although UCLA and Pepperdine, with matching 5-2 records, are in competition for the No. 2 seed as well, they play each other this weekend, and regardless of who wins that contest, Stanford, with a win over California, will hold the tiebreaker due to previous MPSF victories over UCLA (Oct. 18) and Pepperdine (Nov. 8).
We Meet Again...
Saturday's Big Splash marks the second meeting of the year between Stanford and California. The Cardinal came out victorious in that first encounter, as Jeffrey Schwimer's game-winner in the third overtime session provided the winning margin in the 11-10 Stanford victory over the then-No. 1 Golden Bears. Last year, Stanford captured two of the three games against California, netting matching 10-9 victories in sudden-death overtime, with the second of those coming in the 2007 Big Splash at Avery Aquatic Center.
Oh So Close
Although the Cardinal came up on the short end of the stick in last weekend's 6-5 loss to top-ranked and undefeated USC, it sent a message heading into a potential rematch in next week's MPSF Tournament. Stanford got off to a fast start against the Trojans, scoring the game's first two goals en route to a 3-1 lead after the opening period. The Cardinal would hold that lead into the third period until USC tied it up at 4-4. The Trojans would take their first lead of the game in the final period, eventually going up 6-4 with just over a minute remaining. Stanford, though, would continue fighting, getting to within a goal but missing its final chance to equalize as its final shot was blocked with one second remaining.
Sandman Stays Strong
Cardinal goalkeeper Jimmie Sandman put up another solid outing in Saturday's game against top-ranked USC, making six saves and helping limit the MPSF's most prolific offense to just six goals, just over half of its per-game average this season. Following the performance, Sandman's goals-against average stands at an MPSF-leading 4.33, while the Los Altos Hills native is averaging 7.24 saves per game.
Another Hat Trick For Janson
Junior driver Janson Wigo posted his team-leading ninth hat trick Saturday against USC, netting three goals against the Trojans in Stanford's 6-5 loss. Wigo completed his hat trick in the first half of the contest, as he got his first and second goals on a power play and five-meter penalty shot, respectively, in the first period before netting Stanford's lone goal of the second period. Those three goals increased his team-leading total to 47, and increased his per-game average to 1.88.
Wright Nets A Pair
Sage Wright was another Stanford player who managed to find the net multiple times in Saturday's tough 6-5 loss to USC. Wright scored Stanford's third goal of the contest in the first period to give the Cardinal a 3-1 first-period lead, then netted his second in the fourth period, closing the gap to 6-5. With the two goals, Wright tightened his hold on third on the team's scoring list, with 33 goals on the year.
Among The MPSF Leaders
With one weekend 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 third-most efficient offense, with 11.40 goals per game. On the defensive end, the Cardinal defense is also second with just 4.84 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 1.88 goals per game ranks sixth in the MPSF, while Drac's average of 1.60 stands 11th. Sage Wright is also in the MPSF's top 25, standing 22nd with an average of 1.32.
On the defensive end of the tank, starter Jimmie Sandman leads the conference with a 4.33 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 144-43 (.770) 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.
