UCLA
Stanford
NCAA CHAMPIONS!
May 13, 2001 | Women's Water Polo
May 13, 2001
Stanford, Calif. - Coralie Simmons scored the game-winning goal with 1:28 to play in the game to help UCLA to a 5-4 victory over top-ranked Stanford in the finals of the NCAA Women's Water Polo Championships.
Sunday's title gives UCLA its 86th NCAA team championship, more than any other school in the nation. It is UCLA's first NCAA title in women's water polo and the Bruins' fifth water polo national championship in six years. It is also UCLA's fourth NCAA title in this academic year (also men's water polo, women's indoor track and field and women's gymnastics).
The 6-on-5 opportunities were even as both teams were 3-for-6. In the four games earlier this season between the two, Stanford always held the advantage in power play situations.
Stanford opened the scoring in the first quarter with a power play goal from Brenda Villa. But UCLA came back with two scores to take a 2-1 lead after the first. UCLA's Robin Beauregard tied the score at 1-1 with a 6-on-5 goal, and Ashley Stachowski gave the Bruins their first lead with a power play goal at the :32 second mark in the first.
UCLA scored early in the second to gain its biggest lead of the game at 3-1. Simmons found the back of the net for her first score of the game with 4:59 to go in the second quarter. Villa closed the gap to 3-2 with her second goal of the game, and the Bruins took a one-goal lead into halftime.
In the second half of the game, the score was tied on two occasions. Stanford's Anne-Marie Keenan knotted the score at 3-3 with a 6-on-5 goal. But with :05 seconds left in the third, the Bruins got a goal from Kelly Heuchan to go up 4-3.
In the fourth quarter, Stanford tied it up at 4-4 with 3:27 remaining with Margie Dingeldein's 6-on-5 goal. But Simmons gave the Bruins the lead alone open in front of the Stanford goal with only goalkeeper Jackie Frank to beat. After a few fakes, Simmons scored the game-winner.
The Cardinal had one last scoring opportunity with less than :20 seconds remaining. After a timeout, Stanford drew up a play to isolate Villa and Ellen Estes. But the Bruin defense came up with a stop as Villa's shot was blocked.
Jaime Hipp notched six saves for the Bruins, and Stanford's Frank recorded eight saves.
The Bruins end the season with a 18-4 record (their only losses were to the Cardinal), while Stanford, which hadn't lost a game all year, finishes the season at 27-1.
Simmons was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament. Joining Simmons on the First Team All-Tournament team were teammates Beauregard and Heuchan. Stanford placed three players on the all-tourney squad with Frank, Ellen Estes and Villa. Loyola Marymount's Lucy Windes also earned all-tournament accolades.
