(Palo Alto, CA) On the first day of the Stanford Invitational, No. 10 Sun Devil Water Polo (3-3) dropped both contests against No. 1 Stanford (4-0) and No. 3 California (7-1). Freshman attacker Juliette Dhalluin picked up where she left off– after a dominating Cross Conference Challenge that earned her MPSF Newcomer of the Week honors– and recorded five goals on the day.
In the game the Sun Devils never felt out of against No. 1 Stanford, freshmen Juliette Dhalluin and Sophie Shorter-Robinson each notched hat tricks against the Cardinal and are the first pair of teammates to do so against Stanford since April 2022. The eight goals allowed also ties a season-high goals allowed for Stanford this season.
The evening matchup against Cal had a different narrative as the Golden Bears took the lead and did not look back. Itzahiana Baca made the back-to-back start and had her third penalty shot block of the day, but allowed 11 Cal goals which prompted a substitution for Alexa Knutson.
GAME 1 – ASU 8
Stanford 12:
A chippy first game led to 16 exclusions and four penalties, three of which went against the Sun Devils. Stanford had three penalty shot opportunities, missing both in the first quarter, to keep ASU up 3-2 after one.
Stanford took the 5-4 lead in the second quarter after Stevilyn Griffin’s penalty allowed them a penalty shot, which was their only make of the day thanks to Itzahiana Baca’s defense in the cage. The Cardinal five-goal second quarter was the difference in the game, as the Sun Devils were held scoreless during this run.
Out of the half with a 7-4 lead, Stanford was matching goal-for-goal with ASU in the final two frames to keep the lead and pull away with the win.
GAME 2 – ASU 3
California 15
In the second game against No. 3 California (0-0), the Golden Bears notched 3 goals in the first quarter and held the Sun Devils to one goal courtesy of Juliette Dhalluin.
Luca Petovary started the scoring in the second quarter, but Cal struck back with a goal 20 seconds later to keep their lead at two. The Golden Bears’ four-goal second quarter gave them a 7-2 lead headed into halftime.
Cal held ASU scoreless in the third period and four Golden Bears goals prompted a Sun Devil goalie change. Alexa Kutson replaced Baca for the final minute of the third, and remained in for the fourth quarter.
Sophie Shorter-Robinson was the lone Sun Devil goal scorer in the 4th quarter though Cal still managed to net four goals to close out their win.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Claudia Schwartz, Media Relations Student Assistant
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