EVANSTON, Ill. - No. 15 Stanford dropped a hard-fought 3-2 double-overtime to decision at No. 12 Northwestern on Sunday afternoon to close out its opening weekend.
Trailing 2-0 in the second half, the Cardinal (0-2, 0-0 America East) received two goals from Molly Redgrove over an eight-minute stretch to tie the game and force overtime.
After a scoreless first overtime, the Wildcats (1-1, 0-0 Big Ten) produced the game-winner in the 84th minute when Saar de Breij chipped an arching shot into the cage.
Despite coming up short in its first two contests, Stanford can be encouraged by its performances against two top-15 teams, including Saturday's competitive match against defending NCAA champion and top-ranked Connecticut. The Cardinal's early-season schedule is very challenging, with five of the first six games being played away from home.
Redgrove, one of six freshmen who received regular playing time over the first two games, scored both of her goals off penalty corners. Emma Christus and Corinne Zanolli assisted on Redgrove's first goal, with fellow rookies Lily Croddick and Fenella Scutt setting up her second score seven minutes later. Stanford finished with 10 penalty corners.
Northwestern held a 21-15 edge in shot attempts. Scutt led Stanford with six attempts while Redgrove and Zanolli chipped in with four apiece.
Kelsey Bing finished with seven saves in goal, holding off the Wildcats late in the second half while the Cardinal tried to push ahead in the final minutes.
The Wildcats opened the scoring with a goal from Kirsten Mansfield in the 16th minute before adding a second by Lily Katzman at the 38:18 mark.
Stanford, which has won at least 13 games in each of head coach Tara Danielson's eight seasons, returns to The Farm on Saturday, Sept. 1, to host No. 11 Syracuse at 6 p.m. The Cardinal and Orange will also play an exhibition match on Thursday.