Oct. 15, 2010
STANFORD, Calif. - Christen Press scored for the eighth consecutive match to help No. 1 Stanford to a 5-0 victory over Washington State in Pacific-10 Conference women's soccer action before 1,243 at Laird Q. Cagan Stadium on Friday night.
Five different players scored for the Cardinal (12-0-2 overall, 3-0 in Pac-10), which earned its 28th consecutive home victory. Stanford outshot Washington State (6-8, 1-2), 26-4.
With Washington's 3-2 loss at California, Stanford assumed sole possession of first in the Pac-10. It was Stanford's 11th consecutive victory and 14th straight in conference play.
"We're definitely getting better," Stanford defender Annie Case said. "Look at this game from last year. We were behind Washington State until the 87th minute. We almost lost it. We can't take anything lightly in the Pac-10."
Teresa Noyola and Press gave Stanford a 2-0 lead by the ninth minute, with goals 1:13 apart. Noyola, a junior, fired a redirected corner kick into the upper right corner from 20 yards for her collegiate-best seventh goal of the season.
Press followed with a point-blank shot off a service from Camille Levin. It was the 17th goal of the season for Press, who added an assist on Allison McCann's goal in the 21st minute. Press entered the weekend as the nation's leading scorer, moving her alone into fourth on Stanford's single-season goals list. Kelley O'Hara set the school record of 26 last season.
Lindsay Taylor and Natalie Griffen added goals in the second half. Griffen blocked a goalkeeper's clearance attempt off a back pass and deflected the ball into the net to complete the scoring in the 84th minute. It was the first collegiate goal for the freshman from nearby Amador Valley High in Pleasanton, Calif.
Case, a redshirt freshman making her fifth start at outside left back, earned her first collegiate point when she assisted on Taylor's goal, on a left-footed shot that beat the goalkeeper inside the right post.
"I like to play defensively, cut off seams and cover for the center backs," Case said. "And, when I get the opportunity, to get forward too. I'm still working on getting better at that."
Levin also starts at that spot, but this time opened at forward and picked up her eighth assist of the season.
"When we get some passes together, that's when things happen for us, when we really get forward and score goals," Case said.
Stanford next plays Sunday against visiting Washington (9-4-1, 2-1) on Sunday at noon in the opening match of a doubleheader that also includes the Stanford men against San Diego State, at 2:30 p.m.