STANFORD, Calif. – Andi Sullivan scored twice on set pieces and was involved in every goal as No. 2 Stanford routed No. 10 Minnesota, 4-1, in nonconference women's soccer action Friday night at Laird Q. Cagan Stadium.
Sullivan, a senior captain and Hermann Trophy contender as the best player in the country, scored both after Minnesota (5-2) had cut a deficit to 2-1 early in the second half. Instead, a 25-yard free kick and a penalty strike within five minutes secured the Cardinal victory.
Goals by Jordan DiBiasi and Tierna Davidson in the first 15 minutes, each with Sullivan's influence, gave Stanford a lead it would never relinquish. She had a pass during picturesque ball movement that led to the first goal and her corner kick created confusion that led to a goal-mouth scramble resulting in Stanford's second goal.
Stanford (6-0) extended its best start since a perfect 2009 regular season and next faces No. 20 Notre Dame, coached by Theresa Romagnolo, an assistant on that 2009 team, on Sunday at 11 a.m. at Cagan.
DiBiasi opened the scoring with a first-touch left-footed shot from the top of the six-yard box at 4:47 to complete a seven-pass sequence. Central defender Maddie Bauer made a steal in the defensive third when a Golden Gopher failed to secure a long pass. The ball moved quickly from Sullivan to DiBiasi to Davidson, who sent the ball wide left.
Megan Turner beat a defender with a move and centered it to Kyra Carusa, who shrugged off a tug to her jersey to turn and make a blind pass across the middle. A defender seemed occupied with Averie Collins, but the ball ran past and met the boot of DiBiasi. It was her fourth goal of the season, one short of her 2015 total.
GOAL courtesy of @StanfordWSoccer's Jordan DiBiasi!#GoStanford
— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) September 10, 2016
Watch: https://t.co/ZLABafSnBVhttps://t.co/aldWEfRKy0
In the 15th minute, Sullivan's corner from the right side was met by a pair of headers, first by Bauer and then by DiBiasi that led to a shot from Carusa that was blocked by Minnesota's Molly Fiedler on the line. Gopher teammate Rashida Beal tried to clear it out, but it traveled directly to Davidson, who put it in with a first touch from seven yards. The goal was the first in the collegiate career of Davidson, a starting midfielder out of nearby Sacred Heart Prep in Atherton.
Minnesota got one back after a Stanford defensive giveaway near midfield. Kellie McGahn beat a defender down the left flank and her cross was punched in by April Bockin in the 48th minute.
However, Sullivan changed the momentum of the match back to the Cardinal at 66:31. Her right-footed strike from just outside the penalty area cleared a five-player wall and beat the goalkeeper to the near post.
"Sullivan.....knew it right away."
— Stanford Soccer (@StanfordWSoccer) September 10, 2016
Watch the finish on @Pac12Network.#GoStanford https://t.co/p21y6Lx7jX
After Carusa was leveled in the 71st minute, Sullivan sent a low hard strike inside the right post on the resulting penalty. Sullivan, who is moving forward with more frequency now that Davidson has helped secure a defensive role, has three goals this season – two short of her season best.