BALTIMORE, Md. – In a match-up riddled with drama and grit, No. 8 Stanford stepped up to pull off a 10-9 double overtime win against No. 19 Johns Hopkins Wednesday night at Homewood Field.
Stanford (6-1) started off the same way it has for three of its wins this season: with a goal from Lucy Dikeou. The euphoria was short-lived though as JHU fired back less than 40 seconds later to go on a three-goal spree to pull ahead 3-1. The Cardinal regained its composure in the 17th minute of play with Dillon Schoen starting off a four goal streak for Stanford to regain a 5-4 lead.
The Blue Jays (7-4) weren’t set to go quietly as they tied Stanford’s 15 shots in the half and knotted the Cardinal in draw controls. While Stanford never relinquished the lead in the game, JHU knotted the score up 6-6 before Kelsey Murray scored her 15th goal of the season to send the Cardinal into the half up 7-6.
The story flipped in the second half as both defenses stepped up to stymie the offensive efforts with Allie DaCar putting up six huge saves while JHU forced five Cardinal turnovers and saw GK Caroline Federico put up three saves of her own. A heated debate over yellow cards came in the 40th minute, which didn’t deter Elizabeth Cusick from scoring on a free position shot to make it 9-7 with 12:40 remaining.
The tenacious Blue Jays kept grinding in the half, outshooting Stanford 12-7 to score two goals in less than two minutes and send the game into overtime tied at 9-9.
Stanford showed its mettle in overtime, leading in shots, draw controls and caused turnovers even as JHU hung tough to send it into double OT. Two minutes into the second overtime saw the game end where it began as Lucy Dikeou broke through the Blue Jay defense to bury her second goal of the game and lift the Cardinal to its sixth straight win.
The Cardinal remains on the road, heading north next to take on No. 14 Stony Brook on Saturday. Game time is set for noon PT in Stony Brook, N.Y.