Team_huddle_JPL_06172017_0065Team_huddle_JPL_06172017_0065
John Lozano
Field Hockey

Fork in the Road Ahead

No. 17 Stanford (8-6, 2-1 AE)
Pacific (6-7, 2-2 AE) | Fri. • 3 p.m. (PT) • Live Stream • Live Stats
Cal (8-6, 3-1 AE) | Sun. • 3 p.m. (PT) • TV - Pac-12 Network • Live Stats
Social • Facebook.com/StanfordFieldHockey | Twitter » @StanfordFH Instagram » stanfordfieldhockey 
 

STANFORD, Calif. - No. 17 Stanford will play a split week with one road game against Pacific Friday at 3 p.m. PT before returning home Sunday for a 3 p.m. PT tilt against Cal on Pac-12 Networks. 

Last Time Out:
The Cardinal split a two-game road stand last weekend, topping UC Davis 5-0 with five different goal scorers before falling 4-2 up in Berkeley to rival Cal in its first loss to the Bears since 2015 and only the second loss in regulation in Tara Danielson's career. 
 

On Tap - Pacific: 
The Tigers may currently hold a 6-7 overall and 2-2 record in conference play, but they've also already taken on seven ranked opponents. Pacific tends to play tough against the Cardinal - Stanford has won the last two match-ups 1-0. With one coming earlier this season at Varsity Turf and the one before it on Pacific's home turf... in the America East Championship game last season.

Under head coach Tara Danielson, the Cardinal have posted a 14-2 record against Pacific including her Stanford coaching debut on August 27, 2010 in a 6-0 win. In fact, the Tigers have only scored more than one goal on Stanford once in that period - a 3-2 overtime win for the Cardinal on October 3, 2014. 


On Tap - Cal: 
Rivalry games are always intense, especially between Cal and Stanford. All-time the Cardinal and the Bears are tied 53-53-5 in the series history... last season the Cardinal knotted the series for the first time since 2002 before taking the advantage with a win over Cal in the America East Tournament semifinals. Cal fired back last week with a 4-2 win in Berkeley leaving the Cardinal ready for round 2. 

Under Danielson the Cardinal is 15-4 all-time against its Bay Area rivals. Including a thrilling 3-2 win in a shootout last year in Stanford's first game at Underhill Field on October 7.

Let's Talk Sibling AND Rivalry
In other Cal news of note - sophomore Nina Randolph will look to make it 4-1 over sister Zoe - a redshirt junior defender for the Bears. Nina claimed a three-game lead last season, but Zoe struck back on Sunday to make it 3-1 in the Cardinal's favor. 

In the Polls: 
Stanford checks in this week with a No. 17 ranking - the 74th consecutive week that the Cardinal has been ranked - dating back to Nov. 9, 2010.

Varsity Spells Victory: 
• Most teams like to play at home in the comfy confines of their own stadium. The Cardinal LOVES Varsity Turf. Under head coach Tara Danielson, Stanford has a home record of 54-11 - an incredible 83% winning percentage. Thus far this season the Cardinal is a perfect 4-0 on its own home turf. 

Game of Numbers:

  • 4 - freshmen that have played in every game
  • 73 - winning percentage (118-44) Danielson has in her tenure at Stanford (All-time 124-57 - 69%)
  • 9 - career shutouts for Kelsey Bing


Earning Hardware the Hard Way:
With the season eight weeks in, the Cardinal has earned at least one individual award in half of them, which includes a 10-day break from game play. The list is as follows:

August 29 - Kelsey Bing - Defensive Player of the Week 
September 6 – Corinne Zanolli - Rookie of the Week 
September 19 – Kelsey Bing – Defensive Player of the Week
September 26 – Corinne Zanolli – Rookie of the Week

Youth Movement: 
The Cardinal roster boasts a combination of both experienced upperclassmen and hungry freshmen and sophomore classes. In Stanford's 12 games four freshmen have started with rookie and Max Preps top-10 recruit Corinne Zanolli leading the offense with nine goals and seven assists for 25 points.

To Be the Best You Must Play the Best: 
Danielson is notorious for having one of the hardest schedules in the NCAA - with this year being no different. Right out of the gate the Cardinal's first six opponents this season were all ranked in the top-25. The four of the six Cardinal losses on the year have come against top-20 ranked teams including No. 1 UConn and No. 14 Northwestern. An updated RPI released this week has Stanford ranked 19th in the NCAA. 

Bring Your Green Hat Snoop-A-Loop, We're Going Streaking! 
Stanford this season amassed an impressive seven-game win streak, which was snapped by Ohio State in overtime. Though Danielson's teams are no stranger to streaking - the Cardinal put together a nine-game win streak in 2011 before the 2014 team shattered the school record for consecutive wins with 12. While a daunting task to achieve with one of the hardest schedules in the NCAA, the 2017 Cardinal is looking start another one this season.