STOCKTON, CA - The second-ranked Stanford women's water polo team completed pool play at the 1998 MPSF Women's Water Polo Championships 4-0 with wins over No. 7 USC (8-6) and No. 3 California (6-1) to advance to the championship game against two-time defending national champion UCLA. The Cardinal and Bruins will square off at 1:30 p.m. tomorrow.

After easy victories over Long Beach State and Hawai`i in its first two games of the tournament, Stanford was put to the test in the first match of the day against USC. Down 6-5 entering the fourth quarter, the Cardinal rallied with three unanswered goals to claim the win. Sophomores Ellen Estes (Novato, CA/Novato HS) and Suze Gardner (Atherton, CA/Menlo School), who each scored a goal in the final quarter, led the scoring attack with three goals apiece. Junior goalkeeper Heather Crary (Redwood City, CA/Menlo School) recorded eight saves in the win.

Stanford completed pool play against arch-rival California, the fourth meeting between the two teams this season. The Cardinal broke free from a defensive battle with four goals in the second period and never looked back en route to its second straight win over the Golden Bears, to tie the season series at 2-2. Estes and Gardner again paced the offense with two goals apiece while Crary came up big with a season-high 12 saves.

With the two wins, Stanford improved to 22-3 on the season and extended its win streak to 12 games. The Cardinal's last loss came against UCLA (11-3) in Los Angeles.

Results:

           1  2  3  4  T
Stanford   2  1  2  3  8
USC        3  1  2  0  6

Stanford: Estes 3, Gardner 3, Keszler, Shouey
USC: Martin 2, Durley, Mapes, Simpson, Steinmetz
Saves: Stanford 8 (Crary 8), USC 7 (Orwig 7)

            1  2  3  4  T
Stanford    1  4  0  1  6
California  0  1  0  0  1

Stanford: Estes 2, Gardner 2, Keszler, Keenan
California: von Hartizsch
Saves: Stanford 12 (Crary 12), Cal 4 (Schueller 4)