LOS ANGELES – Competing in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history, No. 7 UCSB (18-13) dropped its opening round game 12-5 to No. 2 Stanford (22-5) at UCLA's Spieker Aquatics Center.
"We are excited to be playing here at the NCAA Tournament for the first time," UCSB head coach Serela Kay said. "And we know that today was part of the process in getting experience with the bright lights and everything that comes with playing in the big dance.
"On that note, I don't think we had our best performance today, but I'm looking forward to tomorrow to show what we have."
In opening the game, two-time defending champion Stanford took control with three unanswered goals in the first quarter and registered six more before halftime, capturing a 9-1 lead at the break.
"I have to give Stanford a lot of credit for controlling the tempo of the game early," Kay said. "They came out running on the counter attack and I think that stunned us a bit in the first half."
As the Cardinal held a 7-0 lead midway through the second quarter, Brenna Thomas broke the ice for the Gauchos on a power play. After UCSB drew the first exclusion of the day for either team, Miranda Schrader found Thomas at the left wing where the junior delivered the strike after a couple pump fakes.
Later in the third, the Gauchos found the back of the net again with Taylor Shore setting up Samantha Murphy's hard skip shot. After attempting four shots in the first half, Murphy had an offensive breakthrough with that goal, as she went on to shoot 2-for-3 in the second half.
"In the second half, we got more comfortable and found our rhythm, and we were able to match their tempo," Kay said.
Through the final 16 minutes, UCSB outscored the Cardinal 4-3, as the team mustered three more goals in the fourth. The first score came courtesy of Murphy who faked out the entire defense with a look to her left before scorching her shot into the cage.
"We were talking in our team meeting this morning that we would be the first Gauchos to jump into the pool for an NCAA Tournament game, and it was a great feeling," Samantha Murphy said. "But when we all hit the water, I felt the same as I always do."
Later at the 2:02 mark, Schrader closed in on the Stanford defense and scored from the right side, while Jenna Solberg gave UCSB its final goal after stealing the ball in the backcourt and going the distance herself for the point.
Murphy's two goals led the Gaucho scoring effort, while Camila Schafer, Schrader, and Shore each added an assist. On defense, Solberg picked up a team-high two steals, as goalkeeper Mackenzie Brokaw picked up one while also recording six saves.
UCSB will continue its weekend in the consolation bracket and will first play No. 10 UC San Diego tomorrow starting at noon.
