No. 4 Bears Oust No. 2 Stanford In Overtime

STANFORD – Freshman Jessie Rose scored off a rebound just over one minute into sudden victory overtime and the No. 4 Cal women's water polo team knocked off No. 2 Stanford 10-9 on Saturday at the Stanford Invitational.

Cal (10-0) also defeated No. 10 UC Davis, 9-4.

With the Bears on the power play against Stanford, All-American Kitty Lynn Joustra had her backhander turned away by Stanford goalie Maya Avital. But Rose beat Avital to the loose ball and tapped it into the cage for the game-winner.

The win snapped Cal's eight-game losing streak against the Cardinal – the Bears' last win over Stanford came in sudden victory overtime in 2018.

Senior Elli Protopapas recorded a hat trick for Cal while Rose and junior Cecily Turner each added a pair of goals. Turner had the game-tying score with 19 seconds left in the second overtime session to send the game into sudden victory. Protopapas also added two of the Bears' seven field blocks while Rose had two steals.

Cal goalie Isabel Williams registered 12 saves.

The Bears (9-0) trailed 5-3 late in the second quarter before Protopapas scored off an assist from All-American Emma Wright with 13 seconds remaining before halftime. Turner then converted a Joustra pass into a goal to tie the game at 5-5 midway through the third period, and another Protopapas goal gave Cal its first lead of the game shortly after.

Stanford tied the game back up at 6-6 just before the end of the third quarter and reclaimed the lead with 6:06 to play. But Cal senior Grace Raisin fought off a double-team with 4:05 left to knot the game back up at 7-7.

The team exchanged goals to begin the first overtime period before Stanford took the lead for the last time. Turner and Rose then came up with the final two goals to lift the Bears to the victory.

Cal held UC Davis scoreless in the second half to pull away. Joustra scored five goals and Williams made 14 saves, including two on penalty shots.

The Bears finish up play at the Stanford Invitational on Sunday against No. 9 Arizona State.