Stanford defeated the University of Southern California 16-14 in the final of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championship, according to an April 12 announcement. The match took place in Berkeley, with Stanford rallying from behind in the fourth quarter to secure its ninth conference title and fourth in five seasons.
The win is significant as it highlights Stanford’s continued dominance in collegiate women’s water polo. Both Stanford and USC have been at the forefront of the sport, having combined to win 14 of the last 15 NCAA titles.
Juliette Dhalluin led Stanford with six goals, matching her career high, while Jenna Flynn contributed four goals. The Cardinal trailed by two entering the final quarter but scored four consecutive goals to take control. Dhalluin scored three times in that period, including a penalty shot that gave Stanford a lead it would not relinquish. Sienna Green added another goal late in the game before USC narrowed the gap. Dhalluin then scored again before Flynn sealed the result with an empty-net goal.
Goalkeeper Christine Carpenter made seven saves for Stanford, including a crucial stop on a penalty shot just before halftime when her team held a one-goal advantage.
Stanford has now won MPSF championships in 2000, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2014, and more recently repeated as champions from 2022 through this season. The team will find out its NCAA tournament path during Monday night’s selection show. As reported by school officials, Stanford is “the nation’s only program to have participated at every NCAA Championship since the event’s inception in 2001,” and is seeking its eleventh national title overall.
