[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 12072-12073]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    A TRIBUTE TO HONOR STANFORD UNIVERSITY'S WOMEN'S WATER POLO TEAM

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. ANNA G. ESHOO

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 24, 2012

  Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Stanford 
University Women's Water Polo Team on winning back-to-back NCAA Women's 
Division I Water Polo Championships in 2011 and 2012.
  The Stanford University Women's Water Polo Team has combined talent 
and competitive spirit with the highest ideals of good sportsmanship to 
establish itself as a truly exceptional group. With admirable 
dedication, the Cardinals worked diligently to achieve the ultimate 
proficiency in water polo, and as a result, ended their season with a 
6-4 victory over the University of Southern California Trojans to earn 
their second consecutive and third overall NCAA Championship.
  The Cardinals went into the tournament after falling 8-7 in overtime 
to UCLA in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation tournament 
championship match. Stanford led UCLA 3-2 after the first quarter and 
carried a 5-4 advantage at halftime. The team used the loss to rally 
going into the NCAA tournament, blowing past their competition with a 
17-5 victory over Pomona-Pitzer, and a 12-3 victory over UC Irvine in 
the initial tournament games.
  Stanford held a lead over USC throughout most of the championship 
game 3-2. Neither team led by more than a single goal, and USC's only 
advantage came when they scored the opening goal. Kaley Dodson and 
Pallavi Menon both contributed a pair of goals while Kiley Neushul and 
Kaitlyn Lo are credited with a goal each. More impressively, Menon 
played with a torn ligament in her elbow. Cardinal Goalie, Kate 
Baldoni, achieved the high honor of Most Valuable Player of the NCAA 
tournament. With 15 saves in the championship game and 29 saves in the 
tournament, Baldoni allowed only 9 goals within the 3 games. This 
victory marked Stanford's 103rd NCAA championship trophy overall and 
third in women's water polo.
  Going into the season, Stanford was ranked the No. 1 team in both the 
Collegiate Water Polo Association Varsity Top 20 Preseason Poll and the 
MPSR's Preseason Coaches Poll.

[[Page 12073]]

The Cardinals did not disappoint, finishing the season with a 26-2 
record despite the absence of two key players. Both Annika Dries and 
Melissa Seidemann redshirted this year in order to train for the 2012 
Summer Olympics with the U.S. National Team. As both young women return 
to the team next season, their U.S. National Team teammate Maggie 
Steffens will join them at Stanford, where the future for this team is 
exceptionally bright.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask the entire House of Representatives to join me in 
congratulating Coach Josh Tanner, seniors Pallavi Menon, Alyssa Lo, 
Cassie Churnside, and Monica Coughlan; their teammates Kate Baldoni, 
Jillian Garton, Alexis Lee, Victoria Kennedy, Kaitlyn Lo, Lexie Ross, 
Kelsey Suggs, Lizzie Peiros, Kaley Dodson, Emily Dorst, Kiley Neushul, 
Catherine Carpenter, Cory Dodson, and Ashley Grossman; coaches Susan 
Ortwein and Kyle Utsumi; and Stanford fans everywhere. Bravo to the 
Cardinals for a thrilling season, and for demonstrating the highest 
standards of teamwork and sportsmanship. They have brought added 
distinction to California's 14th Congressional District and stand out 
as the best in America.

                          ____________________