Women's Finals

Stanford Defeats Washington for Women’s College Ultimate Title

by Lindsey Hack

The finals featured a pool play rematch between the University of Washington and Stanford. UW won the pool play game after losing to Stanford at the Northwest Regional tournament three weeks prior. It was highly speculated that the finals may be a different story for the Stanford women. The weather was approximately 60 degrees, overcast, and there was a slight wind.

UW came out very aggressive on offense with Roth putting a risky backhand to the endzone. It was tipped in mid-air and eventually D’d before it could reach intended receiver KrissAnn Shmitz. Fortunately for UW, Lauren Casey overthrew her receiver. But, then UW turned the disc over on an errant throw near the endzone and Stanford scored despite a Roth layout to go up 1-0.

This is pretty much how a great majority of the game went. Many points had multiple turnovers and unfortunately UW had many of those near their own endzone. UW does get on the board to make it 2-1 Stanford and they decide to break out their four person cup zone on the ensuing pull. This slowed down the Stanford offense and allowed UW to dictate the game more. Roth’s breakmark forehand starts off the UW offense a great deal of the time and sets up easy scores for KrissAnn Shmitz. UW pulls it to 2s.

Stanford starts to work it more efficiently against the UW zone and rattles off two consecutive scores. One score was highlighted by a huge layout by Callahan runner-up Enessa Janes for the Stanford score. UW answers back by sending Roth deep, where she is pretty much unstoppable, and pulls it to 5-3 Stanford. Both teams go to trade points until it is 6-5 Stanford. Stanford is using Cook (#22) and her bender forehand to score on the break side. Roth answers with the same forehand to Shmitz. Then the defense of Hannah Griego (#10) begins to step up and contains Roth a bit with a hand-block. Both players are laying out on D and O trying to make it as hard as possible for either one to catch a disc. Melina Coogan (#17) is a great target in the endzone and begins a two point run for UW that ties the game at 7s. Stanford’s Cook takes half with a run through D on the UW endzone that makes for an easy score.

To make this game work for UW, there will need to be fewer turnovers in the red zone. After half, Shmitz gets a huge D on a dump and Roth throws the score to her to tie it up. In the following point Roth had a enormous layout D in the endzone to give UW another shot at scoring. Stanford gets the disc back though, with great pressure underneath on UWs in-cutters. Lauren Casey puts a big huck to Griego for the score. Griego again catches the next score after running all over the place. Now it is 10-8 Stanford and the next point is a long one that had many turnovers. A UW defender gets a huge D on a deep throw, but then UW turns it over again on a sharp pass that was difficult to catch. Stanford uses all seven players to work the disc up the field and score.

At this point, UW must turn to Roth going deep to score. The deep shot is put up by Erin Gallagher and Roth comes up with it after an impressive layout -- 11-9 Stanford. Roth skies a few more Stanford receivers on the following point to make it 10-11 Stanford. But, then Stanford goes on a 4-2 run that will eventually end the game. Enessa Janes is skying multiple defenders in the endzone -- all while toeing the line. Stanford turns up the pressure even more on the UW dumps, force a turnover and send it long to Griego. Katie Cox (#33) of Stanford ends up coming down with a swilly throw for the score.

Naturally, UW answers with Roth going deep. She skies two people near the goal line and throws the score immediately. The score is now 13-11 Stanford and UW desperately needs to win the next point. UW throws their four person cup again, but the Stanford handlers - such as Casey, Janes, and Burney - are much too mobile and intelligent to be stopped. With such little wind, the Stanford ladies work it over and through the cup with 20+ passes for the score.

Jackie Williams (#37) of UW makes an amazing toe-in grab in the endzone to bring it to 14-12 Stanford, but it is too little too late. The next point features Hannah Griego heading deep and to the back corner of the endzone chasing a huck from one of her teammates. At the back of the endzone, she makes the grab, drags the line, stays in, and wins the game. Stanford: 2005 UPA College Champions.