LOS ANGELES – Maddie Bauer scored the first goal of her career in the 103rd minute to lift No. 1 Stanford to a 3-2 double-overtime victory at No. 10 UCLA on Sunday afternoon.
The senior center defender was instrumental in the Cardinal's (11-1-1, 4-1 Pac-12) effort to limit the Bruins' (9-3-1, 3-1-1 Pac-12) prolific offense but it was her finish on a loose ball off of a corner kick that gave Stanford its third top-10 victory of the season.
Andi Sullivan, a MAC Hermann Trophy candidate, provided the service on the game-winning goal, sending a quality corner kick into a dangerous area of the box. The ball bounced around before Bauer provided the finishing touch.
Sullivan had an outstanding game in the midfield and scored the Cardinal's first goal of the game – her fifth of the year. She also made a crucial defensive play in the 93rd minute, clearing a UCLA shot off the Stanford goal line to preserve a 2-2 tie in the first overtime period.
It was a well-earned result for Stanford, which controlled a majority of the run of play and held advantages in shots (19-12), shots on goal (9-6) and corner kicks (8-3).
Jane Campbell returned to goal after serving a one-game suspension due to a red card and made her presence known, making crucial saves in important moments multiple times throughout the match. She finished the game with four saves.
Megan Turner, Michelle Xiao and Kyra Carusa were active up front for the Cardinal, creating heavy pressure for the Bruins' defense. Turner assisted Sullivan's goal, while Xiao and Carusa teamed up for Stanford's second.
Xiao scored her third goal of the season, while Carusa notched her team-leading seventh assist of the year. Turner registered her third assist of the season – the most assists in a single season in her career. Turner has set single-season career-highs in goals (5), assists (3) and points (13) this season.
.@madbau18 is clutch. #GoStanford ?????https://t.co/XZ3sn8dinP
— Stanford Soccer (@StanfordWSoccer) October 10, 2016
Maddie Bauer scored her first collegiate goal to secure the victory for Stanford.
Stanford faced its second deficit of the year early in the first half when UCLA's Amber Munerlyn finished an opportunity from the right side of the penalty box to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead.
The deficit did not last long, however, as the Cardinal responded with an equalizer less than two minutes later. Stanford sent a corner kick into the box that the goalkeeper punched away. Turner got the ball to Sullivan who put the opportunity away to level the score at, 1-1.
It was Sullivan's fifth goal of the season, matching her previous single-season career-high set a year ago. The goal also gave her 14 points this season, the most in a single season in Sullivan's career. It was Turner's third assist of the year – a single-season career-high.
The Cardinal fed off the momentum created by the equalizing goal and dominated the remainder of the half. Stanford finished the half with advantages in shots (9-4), shots on goal (5-2) and corner kicks (6-0).
Stanford continued its momentum in the second half with a pair of quality opportunities in the first six minutes but both sailed just over the crossbar.
Stanford was rewarded for its constant pressure in the 63rd when Xiao converted her third shot of the game to give the Cardinal a 2-1 lead. Carusa earned her team-leading seventh assist of the season.
The Cardinal faced a period of consistent pressure from UCLA following the goal as the Bruins pushed forward to try to find the equalizer. Campbell made a pair of quality saves in the 68th and 70th minutes, and the Cardinal defense did well to manage the increased pressure.
Stanford nearly secured the regulation victory but UCLA's Jessie Flemming scored in the 86th minute to level the score at 2-2 and send the game to overtime.
Both teams had opportunities in the first overtime period but could not find the finishing touch.
UCLA managed a header at the start of the second overtime period that went over the crossbar before Bauer finished her opportunity at the other end to secure the victory for the Cardinal.
Stanford will look to continue its momentum when it travels to Oregon State next Friday at 7 p.m. (PT).
Cardinal Notes
- Stanford improves to 14-12-3 all-time against UCLA.
- It is the Cardinal's third victory against a top-10 opponent this season.
- Maddie Bauer scored her first career goal.
- Andi Sullivan's five goals ties her single-season career-high set in 2015.
- Sullivan has registered a single-season career-high in points (14).
- The Cardinal faced its second deficit of the season when UCLA scored at 11:04. The deficit lasted 1:37.
- Stanford has trailed for just 64:03 minutes of 1105:07 total minutes this season.
- Megan Turner registered her third assist of the season – the most assists in a single season in her career.
- Turner has set single-season career-highs in goals (5), assists (3) and points (13) this season.
- Kyra Carusa notched her team-leading seventh assist of the season – passing her previous single-season career-high of six set as a redshirt freshman in 2015.