Dec. 6, 2003

Box Score?|? Quotes

Stanford, California (December 6) - With 2626 people looking on from the stands, the rain poured down without heed to the game at hand. Stanford, winning the first sprint, was able to slip two goals by #1 Ian Elliot in the first two minutes of the game. In those two possessions, Stanford's #8 Tony Azevedo, put both goals on the board for the Cardinals. Behind by two, the Lions came back and scored in 6 on 5 play. Drawing the kick out on #12, Greg Crum, the Lions were able to maneuver the ball around the remaining Stanford players and allow #6 Tamas Szego to score. This was the first of two goals for outgoing senior Szego, who will play his last game with LMU tomorrow in the consolation match. As the period came to an end, Stanford pulled ahead by the score of 3-1 with a goal by # 2 Peter Varellas.

In the second period, the Lions were able to deposit two more goals. The first was a shot made by Szego from the 2-meter mark, assisted by # 10 Kris Barr. A few minutes later, sophomore #13 Endre Rex-Kiss hurled in a goal also from the hole set to bring the Lions within 2. Unfortunately, with less than a minute left, Stanford scored two unanswered goals to widen their lead to 4.

Rex-Kiss started off the Lions in period three with a 4-meter backhand from a precise pass coming from #9 Ryan Chapatte. Chapatte would have three assists in the game along with 1 goal from the 5-meter in the fourth period. The Lions pressed the Cardinals hard throughout the rest of the game, but not enough to slow down Stanford. Allowing four goals, including a 4-meter penalty shot, the Lions would lose to the Cardinals with the score ending at 14-8.

"I think Stanford played a great game. I think that is the most goals we have given up all year. Our game plan was to let some of their other players shoot and unfortunately those players had good games," says Coach John Loughran. Many of the Stanford goals came from #2 Peter Varellas, one of the players Coach Loughran didn't think would have a good day.

With the loss, the men's water polo team will finish off their season play tomorrow in the consolation match against the 11th ranked Navy Midshipmen. Navy lost to USC in the first game of the day 10-6. The game will be played in the Avery Aquatic Center at Stanford University at 3:30 PM.

-GO LIONS-