STANFORD, Calif. – No. 5 Stanford was dominant in every aspect of its game Friday against Pacific but needed a late equalizing goal and overtime-winner to defeat the Tigers 3-2.
The Cardinal (11-1, 1-0 NorPac West) maintained a majority of the possession throughout the game and registered advantages in shots (21-3) and penalty corners (11-0). Pacific (4-6, 1-1 NorPac East) did well to weather the constant pressure, backed by a 15-save performance by goalkeeper Laura Pujade.
Lauren Becker (communication major) netted her first game-winner on the season in the 75th minute to lift Stanford to its 16th consecutive victory against Pacific and improve to 3-0 in overtime games this season. It was Becker’s sixth goal on the year.
Stanford held a 1-0 lead for the first portion of the game on a goal by Fran Tew. However, the Cardinal faced a late 2-1 deficit after Pacific’s Nicole Laskosky scored her second goal on the day in the 51st minute.
The Cardinal responded with relentless pressure that eventually led to a penalty corner in the 60th minute. Elise Ogle (communication major) inserted the ball to Maddie Secco (human biology major), who settled it nicely. Kelsey Harbin (human biology major) stepped up to the ball at the top of the semicircle and drilled a shot low and hard to the bottom right corner of the goal to knot the game at 2-2.
Stanford sustained its pressure after the equalizing goal but was unable to generate a go-ahead score and headed to its third overtime period of the season.
Dulcie Davies (science, technology and society major) made a game-saving stop in the first couple minutes of overtime when a Pacific player found space just inside of the top of the semicircle and drilled a shot that was headed to the top-right corner of the cage. Davies reached out with her left hand and made a reflex save to keep the game tied.
The winning play started at midfield when Secco gained possession of the ball and started a fast-break down the center of the field. She made a nice move to evade midfielders and threaded a pass between two defenders to Alex McCawley (international relations major), who was making a parallel run.
McCawley had a one-on-one with a defender and went right at her until she entered the semicircle and slid a pass to Becker who was waiting on the left side of the goal. Becker drilled a rocket of a shot into the right-side netting of the cage to seal the victory.
Stanford will look to extend its five-game winning-streak as it hits the road four consecutive away games beginning 1 p.m. (PT) Sunday at UC Davis.
- - - - - - - - - -
Notes: Stanford has won 16 straight games against Pacific … The Cardinal improved to 3-0 in overtime games this year … Stanford’s 11 penalty corners is a season high and the most since it registered 11 against Liberty on Nov. 9, 2013, in the NorPac Championship game … Kelsey Harbin became the 10th Stanford player to score a goal this season … Alex McCawley has registered at least one point in eight of 12 games this season … Lauren Becker’s six goals have come on 12 shots … The Cardinal allowed more than one goal by an opponent for the first time this season … Stanford holds advantages against opponents in shots (156-69), penalty corners (66-30) and goals (31-7).