Two Tough Tests on TapTwo Tough Tests on Tap
Karen Ambrose Hickey
Field Hockey

Two Tough Tests on Tap

No. 12 Stanford (7-3)
No. 20 Rutgers (7-4) | Sat. • 1 p.m. (PT) • Live Stats
No. 4 Michigan (9-2) | Sun. • 11 a.m. (PT) • TV - BTN • Live Stats
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STANFORD, Calif. - No. 12 Stanford will remain on the road this week as it sets to face two ranked opponents in No. 20 Rutgers and No. 4 Michigan. The Cardinal will face the Scarlet Knights in a neutral-site game on Saturday at 1 p.m. PT before taking on No. 4 Michigan on the Wolverines home turf Sunday at 11 a.m. PT live on BTN. 

Last Time Out:
The Cardinal saw its seven-game win streak snapped against Ohio State last weekend in a neutral site match-up in Davis, Calif. Rookies Sarah Johnson and Corinne Zanolli both scored in a game that went into OT, but the Buckeyes were able to slip past 3-2. 
 

On Tap - No. 20 Rutgers: 
The Scarlet Knights enter the weekend with a 7-4 record coming off of a 3-2 loss to No. 10 Northwestern. Rutgers will face Michigan on Friday before taking on the Cardinal Saturday in a neutral-site game. 

Tara Danielson has only faced Rutgers once as the Stanford head coach - with a 3-1 win coming back in her first season on the Farm in 2010.

On Tap - No. 4 Michigan: 
The Wolverines enter into the weekend with an impressive 9-2 record and riding a six-game win streak where they've outscored opponents 18-2. 

The Cardinal is no stranger to Michigan with Tara Danielson holding a 3-2 record against UM while at Stanford. In that period, the Cardinal has also outscored Michigan 8-4. Last season, fresh-faced Kesley Bing faced the Wolverines in only her second collegiate game, which Stanford lost 3-2. Bing's skills were on display in the game and have only sharpened since.
 


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 last weekend. 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.

Earning Hardware the Hard Way:
With the season six weeks in, the Cardinal has earned at least one individual award in four 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 10 games four freshmen have started with rookie and Max Preps top-10 recruit Corinne Zanolli leading the offense with eight goals and four assists for 20 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 Cardinal's two losses have both come against top-15 ranked teams including No. 1 UConn and No. 14 Northwestern. An updated RPI released this week has Stanford ranked eighth in the NCAA.