STANFORD, Calif. – A late first half goal by No. 12 Albany was the difference Sunday at the Varsity Turf as No. 8 Stanford lost its first game of the season, 1-0.
The Cardinal (6-1, 0-0 NorPac) defense played terrific in a gritty and hard fought contest televised on the Pac-12 Networks. However, one Great Danes (6-1, 0-0 America East) opportunity at the end of the first half was enough to hand Stanford its first loss on the year. The loss is the Cardinal’s first at the Varsity Turf since a 2-1 double-overtime loss against No. 4 Connecticut on Aug. 31, 2013.
With 10 seconds remaining in the half, Albany took possession of the ball near its own semicircle and traveled the length of the field until Paula Heuser drilled a high cross from just outside the left-center side of Stanford’s semicircle
Echo Bretz was waiting on the right post and redirected the chest-high cross into the back of the goal with one second remaining in the half to give the Great Danes the lead.
Dulcie Davies, a science, technology and society major, made five saves in the first half and finished the match with 10 stops. Kasey Quon, a communication major, and Kelsey Harbin, a human biology major, registered defensive saves.
.@StanfordFH falls to Albany, 1-0. Play of the Game honors go to Stanford goalie @DulcieDavies for this great save: http://t.co/ng0J9IUyPu
— Pac-12 Networks (@Pac12Networks) September 14, 2014
The Cardinal had its opportunities to equalize with Elise Ogle, Lauren Becker and Marissa Cicione registering chances, but Albany’s goalkeeper Maxi Primus kept Stanford off the board.
Stanford will look to get back in the win column Friday at 4 p.m. when it takes on Central Michigan. The Cardinal opens NorPac play Sunday at 1 p.m. when it plays host to California.
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Notes: Sunday’s loss was Stanford’s first at the Varsity Turf since a 2-1 double-overtime loss against No. 4 Connecticut on Aug. 31, 2013 … Sunday’s game was the first time Stanford was shut out since a 2-0 loss at Duke (Oct. 20, 2013) … The Cardinal is 3-1 in games decided by one goal this season … Albany became the second team to outshoot Stanford this season (12-3) … Despite being outshot, Stanford holds advantages over opponents this season in shots (78-44), penalty corners (36-24) and goals (15-3).