Stanford Women's Lacrosse: Road Test Passed

Cardinal travels 2,965 miles and wins road opener at Albany

ALBANY, N.Y. – It was a career day for sophomore Ali Baiocco, junior Daniella McMahon and junior Mikaela Watson as each posted hat tricks to boost No. 22 Stanford women's lacrosse, 16-13, at Albany on Friday afternoon. 

Stanford (3-1) packed its offense for the 2,965-mile trip East. Baiocco set a career high with seven points and tied a career best with five goals, while McMahon posted her first four-goal game and Watson tied a career best with her second straight hat trick. 

 
How It Happened
Baiocco and McMahon scored just 47 seconds apart to give Stanford an early 2-0 lead less than three minutes into the contest. 

 
Albany (3-1) responded with four straight goals. 

 
But Stanford dominated the rest of the first half. The Cardinal scored eight of the last nine goals, including the last four to take a 10-5 lead into the break. 

 
The Great Danes scored the first two of the second half, but consecutive goals by Baiocco, sophomore Hannah Dudley, Baiocco and McMahon gave Stanford a 14-7 lead with 18:10 remaining. 

 
Watson tallied her hat trick with 13:18 left to give Stanford a 16-10 advantage. Albany scored the last three to close the gap over the final four minutes, but sophomore goalkeeper Trudie Grattan made several saves to seal Stanford's third straight win.  

 
By the Numbers
Grattan made seven of her 10 saves in the second half and finished with a .435 save percentage. She also tallied a team-high seven ground balls. 

  
Junior Jacie Lemos assisted on three goals, while sophomore Katherine Gjertsen registered her second multi-goal game of the season. 

 
Senior Genesis Lucero, who scored and picked up two ground balls, led the team with six draw controls.

 
Stanford held a 19-12 advantage in draw controls and outshot the Great Danes, 37-31. Both teams scooped 21 ground balls, while the Cardinal defense held Albany to just 14-of-21 (.667) clear conversions.

 
Up Next
Stanford continues its East coast trip with a Top 25 matchup at No. 10 Stony Brook on Sunday. The first draw control is set for 9 a.m. PT.  

Recap, photo courtesy of Stanford