Nov. 11, 2010
Berkeley, Calif. - A pair of second-half goals for California broke an early tie as No. 8 California topped Stanford 3-2 at Edwards Stadium. The two teams played a hard-fought even match, but after Stanford was forced to play with just 10 men after a red card, the Golden Bears took control.
The loss drops Stanford to 8-10-0 on the season and 4-6-0 in the Pac-10. The Golden Bears improve to 12-2-3 and clinch the Pac-10 title and the automatic NCAA berth as the conference champion.
Cal got on the board in the 34th minute of the first half when Davis Paul's corner found the head of Alec Sundly. Sundly redirected the ball into the upper corner for the game's first goal.
Stanford evened the match in the 38th minute with Adam Jahn's third goal of the season. After a corner, Taylor Amman controlled a deflection on the left side and played Jahn in the middle. Jahn made a quick turn and fired the ball to the upper corner for the equalizer. Amman was credited with his second assist of the season.
Stanford outshot Cal 8-6 in the half as both teams created good chances. Of the eight Cardinal shots in the half, six were on goal as Cal goalkeeper David Bingham was forced into five saves.
The second half began much like the first with action at both ends.
In the 65th minute, Jason Dodson made a diving save on a Hector Jimenez drive to the lower corner. It was Dodson's fourth save of the game, but would prove to be his last of the game. Three minutes later Dodson ran 25 yards out of his own net to contest a Cal breakaway. Dodson was just late and collided with Paul of Cal. Dodson was red carded because the play was considered a breakaway.
Cal took the lead in the 73rd minute when another Davis Paul corner found the head of a Golden Bear. Servando Carrasco headed home his sixth goal of the season to give Cal the lead.
The Golden Bears then added a late goal in the 83rd minute as Sundly scored his second of the game.
Stanford refused to give up sending everyone forward late in the game. The tactic worked as Stanford pulled within one in the 90th minute. A long Ryan Thomas throw into the box began the scoring play as Bobby Warshaw attempted a bicycle kick, but deflected the ball to Cameron Lamming. Lamming used one touch to redirect the ball into the back of the net.
The goal pulled Stanford within one, but with just 58 seconds remaining there was little more Stanford could do. Cal played the ball long a couple times and the Cardinal never had another decent chance.
The loss concludes the season for Stanford. The Cardinal fought back after a rough beginning of the season where it started 0-4. However, in the end, the Cardinal could not come up with the results needed to advance to the NCAA tournament.