STANFORD, Calif. -- Taylor Uhl scored with eight seconds left in the first overtime to give No. 2 Stanford a 2-1 victory over Arizona in the Cardinal’s Pac-12 women’s soccer home opener Friday at Laird Q. Cagan Stadium.
Stanford (9-0-1 overall, 2-0 Pac-12) extended its home unbeaten streak to 73 and its conference winning streak to 44.
"I was really proud of how we dug deep and found a way to win," Uhl said.
The goal was the 10th of the season for Uhl, a junior transfer from Minnesota. Left outside back Laura Liedle played a long ball from behind the midfield stripe that found Uhl at the top of the penalty area. Uhl chested the ball to her left, touched the ball forward and fired a hard sliding left-footed shot inside the right post in the 100th minute.
“Taylor’s a goalscorer,” Liedle said. “I trust her. And when I do play those balls, I know that she is going to turn and score most of the time.”
Said Stanford coach Paul Ratcliffe, “Taylor has an incredible ability to slow the play down. A lot of people would rush that shot, but Taylor always shows great composure and was rewarded with the goal.”
Stanford admittedly came out flat in the opening minutes, being outshot 9-1, and requiring two superb saves from freshman goalkeeper Jane Campbell, including a reaction save on a one-on-one situation.
Largely against the run of play, Megan Turner put Stanford in front in the 37th minute with a point-blank header after Sydney Payne beat a defender to the end line and supplied a perfect cross.
However, Stanford collected itself in the second half and dominated possession. The Cardinal outshot the Wildcats after halftime, 15-6 and edged past the Wildcats in the overall shot total, 22-19.
Again against the run of play, Arizona (5-3-3, 0-2) tied the score in the 78nd minute by first intercepting a Stanford back pass. The steal led to a shot by Alexandra Doller that bounced off the post to Emily Lai, who converted the rebound.
The golden goal was Stanford third of the season, following second-overtime winners by Alex Doll against Boston College (a 2-1 victory) and Courtney Verloo against Santa Clara (3-2).
“Especially when we’re in overtime, our type of play shifts to more direct,” Liedle said. “When I get the ball I’m looking for passes into our offense and into our feet. Especially with Taylor, I know she likes to get the ball, hold it and turn and take a shot. “
Stanford returns to action Sunday against Arizona State in a 5:30 p.m. match that serves as the nightcap to a doubleheader that begins with the Cardinal men against Oregon State at 3 p.m.
The key to Stanford, will be to grow from the match.
“We pulled it off in the end,” Liedle said. “In the future, we’ll learn from our mistakes. We’ll come out stronger every game.”