STANFORD, Calif. - Each team possesses a characteristic unique to that season, and for the Stanford women's soccer team in 2012, that character was exemplified by its captains and four-year starters – Alina Garciamendez, Mariah Nogueira, and Rachel Quon.
The team's success over the past four years truly ran through this trio, as well as the 10-player senior class as a whole.
That Stanford fell short in its quest to repeat its 2011 national title meant that these seniors would not go out on top. But to do so would have been appropriate for a class (Garciamendez, Nogueira, Quon, Annie Case, Lindsay Dickerson, Aly Gleason, Marjani Hing-Glover, Madeleine Thompson, Courtney Verloo, and Nina Watkins) that went 94-4-4 over the past four years, 52-0-1 at home, and 40-0-0 in conference play.
After the 1-0 double-overtime loss to North Carolina that eliminated the Cardinal in the semifinals in San Diego on Nov. 30, Stanford coach Paul Ratcliffe reflected on his senior class when he said, "They're definitely champions. No doubt in my mind."
As much as Stanford has missed national players of the year Kelley O'Hara, Christen Press, Teresa Noyola, andLindsay Taylor after their graduations, the loss of the three four-year starters will affect the team in a different way, by creating a void in leadership that next year's team must work to close.
Garciamendez, for instance, has been a three-year captain, and all three players have been four-year fixtures at their positions, offering unique talents that will be near impossible to replace. Garciamendez in central defense, Nogueira as a holding midfielder, and Quon at outside back were named All-Americans. For first-teamers Garciamendez and Quon, it was their first such honor.
Stanford's season was typical of recent years: a bump or two early in the season, followed by lengthy winning streaks for a team that tends to hit its stride in conference play as its combinations become solidified. This year, the emergence of players such as Laura Liedle, Lo'eau LaBonta, and Thompson, and Watkins, helped buoy the team throughout a series of uncharacteristically close matches. After all, Stanford fell behind seven times in 2012, more than double its total for the previous two seasons combined.
Ultimately, the Cardinal won its fourth consecutive conference title and reached its fifth consecutive College Cup. Though it did not repeat, the Cardinal had some wonderful moments along the way – its six second-half goals in the season-opening victory over Santa Clara, a thrilling 3-2 victory before a record crowd at Penn State, two goals in 37 seconds to win late at Colorado, clutch winners by Garciamendez against Boston University and USC, and dramatic second-half comebacks to beat UCLA in conference and NCAA showdowns.
"It was an amazing run," Ratcliffe said. "I'm really proud of the team. We definitely wanted more. We wanted to repeat as national champions. But ultimately, we'll have to reflect on another incredible run."
-- David Kiefer, Stanford Athletics
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The following are team and individual accomplishments and honors from 2012:
Team
Team Records: 21-2-1 overall and 11-0 in the Pac-12
Final ranking: No. 3
Fifth consecutive College Cup
Four consecutive Pac-10/12 championships
152-match unbeaten streak when scoring a goal
67-match home unbeaten streak; the second-longest in NCAA history
42-match conference winning streak; the third-longest in NCAA history
20-match home winning streak in NCAA tournament play
Senior class went 94-4-4, including 52-0-1 at home and 40-0-0 in conference play
Paul Ratcliffe
Pac-12 Coach of the Year
Annie Case
Pac-12 All-Academic second team
Alex Doll
Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention
Alina Garciamendez
Team captain
NSCAA All-America first team
TopDrawerSoccer.com Team of the Season first team
NSCAA All-Pacific Region first team
All-Pac-12 first team
Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy semifinalist
Set Stanford record for career starts (102)
Soccer America Preseason All-America
CS360 Primetime Performers Weekly Honor Roll (Nov. 26)
CS360 Primetime Performers Weekly Honor Roll (Sept. 10)
Stanford/Muscle Milk Student-Athlete of the Week (Sept. 11)
Aly Gleason
Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 17)
Natalie Griffen
Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention
Marjani Hing-Glover
Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention
Lo'eau LaBonta
All-Pac-12 honorable mention
TopDrawerSoccer.com Team of the Week (Nov. 26)
Stanford/Muscle Milk Student-Athlete of the Week (Nov. 26)
Laura Liedle
TopDrawerSoccer.com Freshmen Team of the Season first team
Pac-12 All-Freshman team
Taylor McCann
Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention
Mariah Nogueira
Team captain
Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year
NSCAA All-America second team
NSCAA All-Pacific Region first team
All-Pac-12 first team
Pac-12 All-Academic second team
Senior CLASS Award finalist
TopDrawerSoccer.com Team of the Week (Nov. 26)
CS360 Primetime Performers Weekly Honor Roll (Aug. 20)
Emily Oliver
NCAA College Cup All-Tournament team
TopDrawerSoccer.com Team of the Season first team
NSCAA All-Pacific Region second team
All-Pac-12 first team
No. 5 on Stanford career list for shutouts (27)
No. 9 on Stanford season list for goals-against average (0.54)
Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 29)
TopDrawerSoccer.com Team of the Week (Oct. 29)
Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy watch list
Soccer America Preseason All-America
Sydney Payne
Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention
Rachel Quon
Team captain
NSCAA All-America first team
TopDrawerSoccer.com Team of the Season second team
NSCAA All-Pacific Region first team
All-Pac-12 first team
Soccer News Net Women's College Boot finalist
Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy semifinalist
Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention
TopDrawerSoccer.com Team of the Week (Nov. 19)
Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 29)
CS360 Primetime Performer of the Week (Oct. 29)
Stanford/Muscle Milk Student-Athlete of the Week (Oct. 29)
TopDrawerSoccer.com Team of the Week (Oct. 8)
Maya Theuer
Pac-12 All-Freshman team
TopDrawerSoccer.com Freshmen Team of the Season second team
Madeleine Thompson
Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention
Chioma Ubogagu
TopDrawerSoccer.com Team of the Season third team
NSCAA All-Pacific Region second team
All-Pac-12 first team
No. 9 on Stanford career list in assists (21)
Courtney Verloo
NSCAA All-Pacific Region third team
All-Pac-12 honorable mention
Team leader in goals (10), assists (11), and points (31)
Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention
Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 22)
TopDrawerSoccer.com Team of the Week (Oct. 22)
Nina Watkins
Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention