TUCSON, Ariz. – Highlight worthy goals by Haley Rosen and Andi Sullivan, and a gritty overtime winner by Kyra Carusa propelled No. 5 Stanford past No. 17 Arizona, 3-2, on Sunday afternoon.
Stanford earned its ninth corner kick of the game early in the second overtime period. After the initial service went through the box, Stephanie Amack received the ball and sent a second cross into the 6-yard box. The ball bounced off a couple Arizona defenders before finding the left foot of Carusa, who knocked it into the back of the net for the game-winner.
It is Carusa's third goal of the season and second game-winner in Pac-12 play after netting the game-winning goal at Utah in the conference opener.
It is the third consecutive year the Cardinal (9-2, 3-0 Pac-12) has defeated the Wildcats (8-2-1, 2-1 Pac-12) in overtime.
Stanford controlled a majority of the possession throughout the game and held advantages over Arizona in shots (28-10) and corner kicks (9-2).
Despite the advantages, Stanford found itself in an early hole. After a back-and-forth opening 20 minutes, Arizona got on the board first when Paige DeGracie deflected a shot Paige Crouch in front of the goal to put the Wildcats up 1-0.
The Cardinal responded just over two minutes later when Haley Rosen found space in the midfield and fired a perfect left-footed shot to the left side netting to tie the score at 1-1.
Sullivan followed Rosen with a terrific goal of her own in the 31st minute, taking space in the midfield and unleashing a blistering right-footed shot that hit the inside of the left post before going in the back of the net.
It was the second consecutive half the duo scored in the same half after doing so in the second half at Arizona State on Friday night.
Stanford increased its pressure and controlled the pace of play in the second half but could not expand on its lead.
The Cardinal was outshooting the Wildcats 9-1 until Gabi Stoian found space in the middle of the field from about 20-yards out and sent a shot to the lower-left corner of the goal to knot the game at 2-2.
Stanford continued to pressure the remainder of the second half but could not find the go-ahead score and went to overtime for the third time this season.
After a scoreless first overtime period, Carusa broke through for the Cardinal just over two minutes into the second overtime to give Stanford a 3-2 victory.
The Cardinal returns home to continue conference play next weekend, beginning Thursday against Oregon State at 7 p.m. (PT). Stanford will play six of its remaining eight regular season games at home.
Cardinal Notes
- Stanford improved to 3-0 in overtime games this season.
- The Cardinal is unbeaten in its past 11 overtime games. Its last overtime loss came at home against California on Nov. 6, 2013, a 1-0 decision.
- In Stanford's three overtime games this season, the Cardinal has outshot its opponents 74-16.
- Haley Rosen and Andi Sullivan scored in consecutive halves. Both scored in the second half at Arizona State on Friday night and in the first half at Arizona on Sunday.
- Underclassmen have accounted for 14 of Stanford's 20 goals this season. Freshmen and sophomores lead the team with seven goals each, followed by the juniors and seniors with three goals each.
- Stanford holds advantages over opponents in shots (213-66) and corner kicks (87-18).