[Spiny_Norman]

I was there and it was spectacular!  What a thrill to be there in person.  I had been to other NCAA tournaments/finals, but I had never seen Stanford hoist the trophy until today.

I will add one other critical point in the game.  I believe that the score was 5-3 in the 3rd period when the referee waved off a UCLA goal because of a contrafoul.  Stanford scored soon thereafter.  Stanford still might have come back to win, but a 3 goal deficit in the 2nd half would have been a big challenge. 

Two stories from the post-match ceremony.  After the players had received their individual trophies, the NCAA official called the coaches up to receive the team trophy.  Coach Tanner did not move.  He said very clearly to his players, "Go get your trophy."  He deflected the spotlight to his players.  Coach Tanner and the assistants did not join the group until the photos with the team members and the trophy had been taken.  Finally, it appeared to me that Coach Tanner gave the game ball (that is, one of the actual balls used in the championship match) to Gabby Stone.  Oh and Annika Dries was named the tournament MVP.

One other note.  When the players were introduced at the start of the match, they were all wearing nerd glasses.

[Spiny_Norman]

I was there and it was spectacular!  What a thrill to be there in person.  I had been to other NCAA tournaments/finals, but I had never seen Stanford hoist the trophy until today.

I will add one other critical point in the game.  I believe that the score was 5-3 in the 3rd period when the referee waved off a UCLA goal because of a contrafoul.  Stanford scored soon thereafter.  Stanford still might have come back to win, but a 3 goal deficit in the 2nd half would have been a big challenge. 

Two stories from the post-match ceremony.  After the players had received their individual trophies, the NCAA official called the coaches up to receive the team trophy.  Coach Tanner did not move.  He said very clearly to his players, "Go get your trophy."  He deflected the spotlight to his players.  Coach Tanner and the assistants did not join the group until the photos with the team members and the trophy had been taken.  Finally, it appeared to me that Coach Tanner gave the game ball (that is, one of the actual balls used in the championship match) to Gabby Stone.  Oh and Annika Dries was named the tournament MVP.

One other note.  When the players were introduced at the start of the match, they were all wearing nerd glasses.