Sept. 17, 2010
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Christen Press scored three goals and had one assist - all within the first 32 minutes - to lead the No. 2 Stanford women's soccer team to a 6-1 victory over Utah at the Santa Clara Classic on Friday.
The hat trick was the first at Stanford for the senior forward, who, with Friday's performance, supplanted the great Julie Foudy for third on the school's all-time lists for career points (Press has 141) and goals (53). She already is No. 2 on the assists list (36).
"Christen Press is an amazing player," Stanford coach Paul Ratcliffe said. "She's a great goal scorer, and she can set players up. She's having an incredible career at Stanford, and I can't say enough about her ability."
Press continues to draw closer to Stanford's records in all three categories. Sarah Rafanelli (1990-93) holds the marks for goals (59) and points (152), and Marcie Ward (2000-04) has the standard for assists (40).
Press' seven-point match was the first for Stanford since Erin Martin had a school-record eight points in a 6-0 victory over UC Santa Barbara in 1994.
"I think today was really a team win," she said. "We had some great build up play, perhaps the best so far this year, and I benefited from being on the end of that. All four goals in the first half were high percentage shots off of crosses and it was great to see our frontline connect."
Indeed, Ratcliffe emphasized "attacking patterns" in training and improving production in the final third. The goal flurry, which included Teresa Noyola's fourth of the season, only three minutes after Press opened the scoring, was an indication that the work was paying off.
Press, who now has eight goals this season, had an opportunity for a school-record tying fourth goal when Camille Levin released her with a through ball. Press swept past the final defender, but was unable to get her shot past onrushing goalkeeper Hannah Turpen, who blocked it at the top of the box in the 57th minute.
Press pushed Stanford (5-0-2) into the lead when she slotted in a low cross from Levin in the 9th minute. Levin, in her second match starting at forward after opening the season as an outside defender, supplied the second assist on a similar ball to the top of the box. Press gathered her third at 31:21 by finishing off another cross, this one by Morgan Redman.
Stanford (5-0-2) won for the ninth consecutive time at Buck Shaw Stadium in a streak that began in 2007. But the Cardinal is expected to be challenged by No. 15 Georgetown, the highest-scoring team in the nation, on Sunday at 11 a.m. on the same field.
Utah (1-8) got a goal back in the 34th minute on a header, but Stanford reserves Marjani Hing-Glover and Shelby Payne responded with second-half scores. For the freshman Payne, she scored her first collegiate goal in spectacular fashion, by controlling a perfect through ball from freshman Taylor McCann, flicking the ball over the goalkeeper, retrieving it in the six-yard box and scoring from an acute angle in the 80th minute.
Payne has bounced between forward and defense this season, but said her role on the team is taking advantage of opportunities.
"Whenever you get a chance to play, you have to make an impact on the field, scoring goals or playing hard defense," she said. "It's definitely been a big learning experience. But it’s a great team, and you have to fight every minute of practice for a spot on the field."
Freshman goalkeeper Emily Oliver received her second consecutive start and appears to have solidified her spot, despite allowing her first collegiate goal.
"Right now, Emily’s our top goalkeeper," Ratcliffe said. "She’s really done well in training camp and is getting better and better. But we have a lot of good options. All our goalkeepers are strong and we’re going to keep watching who the best one is, week to week."
The best part of her game?
"Her presence in the box," Ratcliffe said. "She has great presence, her distribution and communication have been strong, and she’s very competitive. She’s a winner."
As for Press, who has been largely overshadowed previously by players such as 2009 Hermann Trophy winner Kelley O'Hara, Ratcliffe believes that Press' skills finally will be recognized by the public at large.
"I think so," he said. "But I also think she's proven so much already for her career. This is icing on the cake if she can have a great senior year and be that consistent goal scorer that can make the difference in every game."