Sept. 30, 2011
STANFORD, Calif.- Katie Mitchell's second-half goal turned out to be all the offense No. 6 Stanford needed in a 1-0 shutout of Robert Morris on Friday night at the Varsity Turf.
Stanford (9-1, 3-0 NorPac) extended its winning streak to eight games, matching its longest stretch since an 8-0 start in 2009. The school record for consecutive wins is nine, accomplished from Oct. 9-Nov. 8 during the 1985 campaign.
Playing the second contest of a six-game road trip, Robert Morris (6-6, 0-0 NEC) had entered Friday's game having won three of its last four overall, including a 1-0 overtime upset of No. 15 Ohio.
Stanford thoroughly dominated Friday's game, holding a commanding 23-3 advantage in shot attempts. The Cardinal also owned an 8-1 edge in penalty corners, but was unable to convert on several scoring opportunities until early in the second half.
In the 38th minute, Mitchell scored her third goal of the year to give Stanford a 1-0 lead, finding the cage through a scrum near the goal following an assist from Stephanie Byrne.
After outshooting Robert Morris 7-1 in the first stanza, Stanford increased its pressure and held a 16-2 edge in shots over the final 35 minutes.
Hope Burke and Becky Dru led all players with four shots apiece while five other Stanford players registered at least two attempts.
Kelsey Harbin made a defensive save to turn away one of Robert Morris' best scoring threats of the night. Ale Moss came through with a save in goal and notched her ninth win of the year.
Stanford returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 8, facing Harvard to open a two-match East Coast road swing.
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NOTES: Stanford entered this week ranked No. 6 in the latest Kookaburra/NFHCA National Coaches poll. The No. 6 national ranking matches the highest in program history, first achieved back on Sept. 22, 1987, when the Cardinal also checked in at No. 6 following a 4-1 start ... Stephanie Byrne and Becky Dru will be guests on The Cardinal Channel Live pregame show tomorrow between 6-7 p.m. The stage is located in Fan Fest, the official pregame headquarters for Stanford football. The Cardinal hosts UCLA at 7:30 p.m. ... Stanford has outscored its opponents 12-5 after halftime this year ... Stephanie Byrne leads the Cardinal with eight assists, matching her total in that category from last season ... Robert Morris' six victories represent a school record. The program is in only its eighth year of existence.