Bucknell University Athletics
Semifinal Game 2 - 2005 National Collegiate Men's Water Polo Championship
12/3/2005 7:00:00 AM | Men's Water Polo
Dec. 3, 2005
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Marcello Pantuliano scored two goals to lead second-seeded Stanford to a 7-6 victory over third-seeded Loyola Marymount in the NCAA Men's Water Polo Championship semifinals Saturday at Bucknell's Kinney Natatorium. The Cardinal (20-6) advance to Sunday's championship game against No. 1 USC, which defeated St. Francis (N.Y.), 14-8, in the other semifinal.
Five other Stanford players netted goals as the Cardinal scored four unanswered goals after falling behind 2-1 late in the first quarter. Pantuliano's first goal tied the game at 2-2 with one second on the clock in the first quarter and Stanford did not trail the rest of the game.
The Cardinal scored the first three goals of the second quarter as they held Loyola Marymount scoreless for more than six minutes in building a 5-2 advantage.
Cutberto Hernandez, who tied Endre Rex-Kiss for team-high honors with two goals, ended the Loyola Marymount drought with his first goal in the closing minutes of the first half. However, the Lions would go nearly six more minutes without a goal as Stanford built a 6-3 lead.
Loyola Marymount did close the gap with two goals in the final 2:25 of the third quarter and the lone goal of the fourth quarter. Brian McShane narrowed the deficit to 7-6 with a goal with 4:29 remaining in the contest.
Stanford, which was led by goalkeeper's Sandy Hohener four saves, needed a defensive stop on the last play of regulation to preserve the victory. Nik Barr made a steal of a pass and the Cardinal ran out the clock.
Stanford, which is making its 28th NCAA appearance, advanced to the championship game for the 19th time.
Loyola Marymount (18-16) was led by goalie Ian Elliott, who made 13 saves as Stanford peppered him with 26 shots.
GAME SUMMARY
| Score by Periods | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
| Loyola Marymount | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| Stanford | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 7 |
Stanford Goals: Marcello Pantuliano 2, Tyler Drake, Ryan Fortune, J.J. Garton, William Hindle-Katel, Peter Varellas. On last play of the game... "The last play was drawn up to get the ball back around to the left side of the goal, it was just a bad pass that didn't work for us."
Stanford Head Coach John Vargas On what he learned about team in final two minutes... "We had the will to win. We played those guys before and beat them by seven goals. It was their mentality that they could come in and play free and easy, relaxed. We were expected to win and I think our guys felt that way, so I thought we played real well considering that."
Stanford senior defenseman Peter Varellas On playing the championships on the East coast... "Personally, I believe Stanford has the best facility to play water polo in the country and I've been fortunate to have some really exciting huge games there. I think it's good to have it out here once in a while. It's about spreading the sport and hopefully there are some locals that are seeing a really high level of water polo being played for the very first time. That's what it's all about having it back here; it's about getting that name recognition out there for water polo and really growing the sport."
Loyola Marymount Goals: Cutberto Hernandez 2, Endre Rex-Kiss 2, Shaun Flood, Brian McShane.
Ejections: Stanford 9, Loyola Marymount 2.
Extra Man Opportunities: Stanford 0-2, Loyola Marymount 3-9
Goalie Saves: Stanford (Sandy Hohener) 4, Loyola Marymount (Ian Elliott) 13.
SCORING
First Quarter
L - Rex-Kiss, 3:47
S - Drake, 0:50
L - Rex-Kiss, 0:18
S - Pantuliano, 0:01
Second Quarter
S - Garton, 6:35
S - Fortune, 3:59
S - Pantuliano, 3:01
L - Hernandez, 1:17
Third Quarter
S - Varellas, 3:08
L - Hernandez, 2:25
S - Hindle-Katel, 0:57
L - Flood, 0:25
Fourth Quarter
L - McShane, 4:29
QUOTES
Loyola Marymount Head Coach John Loughran
On the difference in the game... "Stanford did an outstanding job. We played great defense. I thought we outplayed them in a lot of aspects of the game; they outplayed us in one, which was our strength. All year we were 50% in six-on-five and to go two for nine in this game was really disappointing. If we go 50% today, we win the game. If we go 30% we tie the game, so that was the biggest difference."
On reason for the victory... "Our five-man defense, they were two for nine. Clearly that was the biggest difference. The guys did a great job shutting them down when they were up a man. It was clearly the difference."
On reaching the championship... "It was probably not the ideal path to get there, but we got there none the less. It has been our goal the entire season and what that means for the regular season is to try to qualify and we did that last weekend. We have two games here and we are trying to win them both. We have the first one out of the way even though it was a little closer than we would have liked. Whatever way it happens though, we are in the championship game and we are going to give it our best shot and see what happens."
