Oct. 4, 2012
STANFORD, Calif. -- Zach Batteer scored twice as Stanford knocked off its cross-bay rival California on Thursday night at Cagan Stadium. The 2-0 win evened the Card's record at 5-5 on the season and gave it an all-important conference win.
"It was a great result for the team tonight," said head coach Jeremy Gunn. "Both teams had really great chances and it was exciting end to end soccer. They passed a little better than we did in the first half and that has not happened to us much this year. The goal just before half helped us and then we played much better in the second half."
Batteer scored just before half to give Stanford a lead and then iced the game in the 78th minute with his second and third goals of the season. The sophomore scored both goals with his head as he took advantage of his opportunities in front of goal.
"Zach is a different kind of striker," said Gunn. "He has pace and he has strength. He is awfully good with his head, so we keep telling him to get in front of goal and that is what he did tonight."
Both teams had great chances early in the game. Aaron Kovar forced Cal's Kevin Peach to make a couple of saves and Stanford took six corners in the half.
Cal had chances of its own, but Drew Hutchins was up to the challenge, making five of his seven saves in the first half. Hutchins earned his fourth shutout of the season, while making a season-high seven saves.
"Drew was busy back there tonight and definitely earned the shutout," said Gunn.
Batteer's first goal came just 18 seconds before half as he headed the ball into the upper corner on a cross from Dersu Abolfathi. Tyler Conklin played a ball to Abolfathi, who crossed the ball with his left foot and found that head of Batteer just outside the six-yard box.
The goal was a momentum shifter as Stanford came out of the half looking like the more dangerous team. In the 65th minute Conklin almost had a goal of his own as he hit a dipping blast from 30 yards that just barely sailed wide.
The second goal came in the 78th minute when Bobby Edwards hit a perfect cross and Batteer buried the header. Cal had begun pushing players forward in search of the equalizer and Stanford caught the Golden Bears on a counter-attack.
The Cardinal stayed dangerous for the final minutes, while Hutchins made a couple of great punches on corners to keep the clean sheet.
Stanford will now have a bit of time off, as this is the only game of its weekend. The Cardinal next head back out on the road to face Oregon State and Washington on Oct. 12 and Oct. 14 in the Pacific Northwest.