STANFORD, Calif. – No. 1 Stanford's program-record win streak ended at 29 games with a 1-1 tie against No. 7 Santa Clara on Sunday at Laird Q. Cagan Stadium.
"It was a good match, a solid test for us and it will help us moving forward, for sure," said The Knowles Family Director of Women's Soccer Paul Ratcliffe. "Everyone got caught up in the emotion of this game, which makes it hard, but challenges like this will benefit us in the long run."
The Cardinal (7-0-1) extended its program-record unbeaten run to 30 games and outshot the Broncos (7-1-1), 28-10. Sophia Smith scored Stanford's only goal, her fourth of the season, and Alison Jahansouz made four saves, including saving a penalty kick before Santa Clara's equalizer in the second half.
After a strong start by Santa Clara, Smith put the Cardinal in front in the 43rd minute. She collected an errant back pass and raced past both center backs to tap it past Melissa Lowder and give Stanford the lead.
WATCH | @sophsssmith breaks the tie with a brilliant individual effort. Can you say...PACE? Catch it on @Pac12Network.
— Stanford Women's Soccer (@StanfordWSoccer) September 16, 2018
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After the break, Catarina Macario and Madison Haley were denied by fantastic saves – Haley put one in the back of the net in the 51st minute but it was called back for offside. Santa Clara bagged the tying goal in the 67th minute after Kiki Pickett was whistled for a foul in the box. Jahansouz saved the spot kick but Michaela George stabbed home the rebound after a scramble in the box.
Stanford had several chances to win the game in regulation – Jaye Boissiere's dangerous ball couldn't find the foot of Civana Kuhlmann in the 82nd minute and Pickett's 25-yard blast in the 85th minute was saved by Lowder.
It was all Cardinal in both periods of extra time, but the Broncos defended enough to earn the draw in front of a sellout crowd, Stanford's third in four games. Smith was denied at point-blank range by Lowder in the 98th minute, and Alana Cook's one-time effort in the 102nd minute was also palmed away.
Scoring chances for Belle Briede, Haley and Naomi Girma were all denied in the dying embers of the game as Lowder finished with 13 saves. Macario and Smith led the team with five shots apiece, while Haley and Girma had three.
No. 1 Stanford returns to action next week when it opens conference play at home against Arizona on Friday. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. PT on Pac-12 Networks with live statistics available at GoStanford.com.
Cardinal Notes
- Stanford's unbeaten run reaches 30 games – the Cardinal has not lost since Aug. 25, 2017. It is the 10th-longest in Division I history and the longest since UCLA went 44 games unbeaten from 2013-14.
- The Cardinal's program-record win streak ends at 29 games. The streak ranks seventh in NCAA Division I history and was the longest since North Carolina won 31 straight in 2003.
- Midfielder Sam Hiatt left the game in the 60th minute with an injury.
- Five yellow cards were issued in the match, the most of any game Stanford has played this season.