No. 3 Stanford women’s water polo (2-1, 2-1 MPSF) defeated No. 15 San Jose State (SJSU) (1-3, 0-1 MPSF) in a 16-7 win at Avery Aquatics Center on Saturday.

Junior 2-meter defender Chloe Harbilas got the ball rolling for the Cardinal, scoring less 30 seconds after the first whistle. After a quick response by SJSU, Harbilas chimed in again to put the Cardinal up 2-1 in the first two minutes of the match. Senior driver Sarah Klass picked up the momentum from there, scoring two goals of her own, one just before the end of the first quarter, to give Stanford a 4-1 lead. 

Action slowed down in the second quarter, but picked up when freshman driver Jewel Roemer scored off a penalty shot with 5:13 remaining in the half. Another goal from each team left the score 6-2 heading into halftime.

On defense, redshirt senior goalkeeper Emalia Eichelberger held the line when it mattered. Despite the Cardinal finding itself down a player six times in the first half, the Spartans couldn’t score off a single one. Stanford’s defensive formation stayed tight and kept the Spartans looking for an opportunity that never arose until late in the game.

Three straight Stanford goals in the opening minutes of the third quarter, two by Klass and one by Harbilas, started the second half and extended the Cardinal lead to seven goals with a 9-2 score. Harbilas ended the game with five goals, Klass finished with four and the pair carried Stanford’s offense to victory. 

SJSU battled back for the rest of the third quarter and the front half of the fourth. The Spartans managed to pull within four goals with about five minutes remaining. While still up 11-7, freshman driver Jewel Roemer decided to put the game on ice and scored two goals in two minutes. Together with goals from Harbilas and two other players. Stanford ran up the score to close out the 16-7 win.

Stanford looks to end the weekend beating another pre-modern civilization. It faces the No. 14 San Diego State Aztecs (2-10, 1-0 GCC) on Sunday at 12 p.m. PT.