April 3, 2011
Moraga, Calif. - No. 9 Stanford improved to 11-1 with a comfortable, 20-7, win at Saint Mary's on Sunday afternoon. The win also moved Stanford to 3-0 in the conference, giving it sole possession of first place.
Stanford jumped out to a 2-0 lead and was ahead 6-1 just 10:36 into the game. Sarah Flynn had a hat trick just eight minutes into the game and a fourth goal to give the Cardinal the five-goal lead. Lauren Schmidt and Leslie Foard added goals in the opening moments as Stanford had a comfortable lead from the get-go.
The Gaels pulled to within three at 6-3, but Stanford scored six more goals before the half to take a 12-4 lead to the break. Flynn scored two more goals in the half for six in the period. Rachel Ozer, Maria Fortino, Jacqueline Candelaria, Jen Lang and Anna Kim also added goals before the break.
The Cardinal outshot Saint Mary's, 28-10 in the half, putting constant pressure on the Gael defense. Annie Read made three saves in the half, before giving way to Lyndsey Munoz for the second half. Read picked up her 11th win on the season as she approaches the Stanford record.
The Cardinal continued the onslaught in the second half, pushing the lead into double digits. Flynn added a school-record seventh goal, while Kim had two more for her first-career hat trick. Lang scored her second goals, while Anna Boeri, Nina Swanson and Annie Anton added one goal. The goal for Anton was the first of her young Stanford career.
The Cardinal cruised to the 20-7 victory, totaling 46 shots for the game. Leslie Foard added five more draw controls as Stanford won 19 of 27 for the game.
The Cardinal will now return home to face Denver on Friday, April 8, at 6pm, at Laird Q. Cagan Stadium. Stanford will attempt to avenge its loss to the Pioneers during the regular season last year that cost Stanford the regular season conference title. The Cardinal did defeat Denver in the final of the MPSF tournament a year ago to win the conference tournament title and advance to the NCAA Play-In Game.