IRVINE, Calif. – The seventh-ranked UC Irvine women's water polo team dropped a 16-10 decision to No. 4 Stanford in their second game of the Barbara Kalbus Invitational Saturday at Anteater Aquatics Complex.
 
The 'Eaters (10-4) went toe-to-toe with the Cardinal early in the game as they were tied at 2-2 after the first eight minutes of action. UCI trailed by only one with just over three minutes remaining in the second quarter before Stanford used a 5-1 run to open up a five-goal lead in the third frame.
 
The Anteaters, who had eight different players find the back of the net, are the second team this season to score at least 10 goals against the Cardinal (9-1).
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
> Tara Prentice and Isabel Rack tied for the team lead with two goals apiece.
> Piper Smith, Elena Flynn, Kennedy East, Gracie Helberg, Gabby Norris and Mica Schiavone also scored for UCI.
> Flynn added two assists, Brooke Banta had two steals and Prentice drew five exclusions.
> Faith Tedesco played the entire 32 minutes in goal, finishing with six saves.
> Aria Fischer led Stanford with a game-high five goals.
 
FIRST QUARTER
> Stanford opened with the games' first two goals
> Prentice then netted a lob shot at the 1:32 mark to get UC Irvine on the board
> Smith followed with a power play goal off a feed from Sarah Nichols with 36 seconds to play
> UCI had an advantage to close out the period but could not convert as the teams remained locked in a 2-2 tie
 
SECOND QUARTER
> In similar fashion to the first quarter, the Cardinal started off with two quick goals, the second on a rebound after a stop by Tedesco 
> Prentice, who was surrounded by Stanford players, then fired a backhand at 5:05 to cut the deficit in half
> Flynn kept the 'Eaters within one as she found the back of the net with 3:21 remaining
> The Cardinal would end the period with the final two goals for a 7-4 lead at the break
 
THIRD QUARTER
> Stanford scored at 7:43 before Tedesco stopped a point-blank shot on the Cardinal's second trip down the pool
> After the visitors pulled ahead, 9-4, Helberg fired the ball into the cage with 5:06 to go
> Following another Stanford goal, Rack connected to make it 10-6 at the 4:08 mark
> Two minutes later, another impressive save by Tedesco led to Prentice finding Norris, who was able to beat the shot clock and bring UCI within three (10-7)
> Stanford then scored two more times, including on a power play as the clock ran out to go up, 12-7
 
FOURTH QUARTER
> The teams traded goals throughout the final frame
> Rack scored through a packed-in defense on a power play (6:12)
> East also lobbed one over the goalkeeper (5:15), while Hicks converted on a power play (4:21)
> The Cardinal then ended the scoring for the 16-10 win
 
UP NEXT
> UC Irvine returns to the Anteater Aquatics Complex later today to take on Long Beach State at 4 p.m.