Aug. 28, 2004
Stanford, Calif. - Senior Marcie Ward (Alamo, Calif./Carondelet) wasted no time in her return to Stanford soccer, scoring the Cardinal's first goal of the season just 48 seconds into the 2004 opener against 24th-ranked Utah. Stanford dropped the Utes, 3-0, in the first game of the season for both squads. The Utes drop to 0-1-0 on the season, while the Cardinal begins with a 1-0-0 mark.
Ward, who missed the 2003 campaign due to injury, proved she was back in top form with her first look at the cage. She took a pass from fellow senior Natalie Sanderson (Ventura, Calif./Buena) and sliced it past the keeper in the first minute of the match. Ward added her second goal of the night and 36th of her career on an unassisted shot with 14:40 left in the first half. This was Ward's first multi-goal performance since she scored a pair in Stanford's 4-0 win against Oklahoma on Sept. 20, 2002.
Junior Leah Tapscott (Madison, Wis./James Madison Memorial) finished off the scoring with a goal in the 45th minute, converting a shot off a double-assist from freshman Lizzy George (Alamo, Calif./Carondelet) and junior Hayley Hunt (San Marino, Calif./Polytechnic).
Stanford keeper Nicole Barnhart (Gilbertsville, Pa./Boyertown) started in goal and played 81 minutes, picking up one save, before freshman Erica Holland (Lafayette, Calif./College Park) made her collegiate debut and helped the Cardinal to its first shutout of the season.
Tonight's win marks the 17th-straight victory for the Cardinal in a season opener and bring's the program total to 18-2-1. Stanford will be tested on the road for the next two weeks, as the Cardinal travels to South Bend, Ind., for the Notre Dame Tournament next weekend and then faces off against Big 12 powers Nebraska and Missouri the following week. Stanford will play third-ranked Notre Dame next Friday at 7:30 p.m. before facing Southern Methodist on Sunday, Sept. 5.
| 1 | 2 | = | F | |
| No. 24 Utah (0-1-0) | 0 | 0 | = | 0 |
| Stanford (1-0-0) | 3 | 0 | = | 3 |
Scoring Summary:
STAN: Ward (Sanderson), 0:48; STAN: Ward, 30:20; Tapscott (George, H. Hunt), 44:47.
Saves: Barnhart (Stanford), 1; Mason (Utah), 1
Shots: Stanford 6, Utah 2
Corners: Stanford 6, Utah 2
Fouls: Stanford 2, Utah 5