BERKELEY – The No. 5 Cal women's water polo team held No. 2 Stanford to its lowest scoring output of the season but still fell to the Cardinal 8-2 on Sunday at Spieker Aquatics Complex.

The Bears (13-6, 1-3) got a pair of goals from leading scorer Dora Antal and senior goalie Madeline Trabucco made six saves.

Cal's defense made life hard on the Cardinal throughout, but Stanford still used its impressive firepower to outmuscle the Golden Bears on the scoreboard. The Cardinal led 3-0 at the end of the first period, culminated by a goal by two-time U.S. Olympian Maggie Steffens as the shot clock expired with 51 seconds left in the quarter.

After going in front 4-0, the Bears got on the board on a 6-on-5 goal by Antal. That got the large and enthusiastic crowd – that included the Cal band and cheer squad – into it. Cal had a handful of other good opportunities to score during the remainder of the second quarter but couldn't convert. Stanford led 5-1 at halftime.

The Cardinal scored the first three goals of the third quarter to take a commanding 8-1 lead, but its scoring stopped at that point with 3:59 remaining in the third quarter. Antal scored again with just over one minute left in the third, and the teams went scoreless the rest of the way.

Cal returns to the pool Saturday against No. 14 San Jose State at 1 p.m. at West Valley College.
 

No. 2 Stanford 8, No. 5 Cal 2
Stan 3 2 3 0 – 8
Cal 0 1 1 0 – 2
Stanford Goals: Makenzie Fischer 3, Maggie Steffens 3, Madison Berggren 2.
Cal Goals: Dora Antal 2.
Stanford Saves: Gabby Stone 15.
Cal Saves: Madeline Trabucco 6.