STANFORD, Calif. – Catarina Macario scored two stunning goals to lift No. 1 Stanford to a 3-2 win over No. 16 UCLA on Thursday night at Laird Q. Cagan Stadium.
"It was an incredibly entertaining match from start to finish. UCLA is a great team and we're always pleased to get a result against them," said the Knowles Family Director of Women's Soccer Paul Ratcliffe. "Catarina showed tonight what a special player she is. Only she can score those goals, and the second one was just pure magic."
The Cardinal (9-0-1, 2-0-0 Pac-12) extends it program-record unbeaten streak to 32 games with its 20th straight win in Pac-12 play. Alison Jahansouz (7-0-1) made four saves to earn the win, and Stanford had to fight back after the Bruins (5-3-1, 0-2-0) took the lead in the 12th minute.
Just gonna leave this one here... @catarina_macario ?? #GoStanford #Golazo
A post shared by Stanford Women's Soccer (@stanfordwsoc) on Sep 27, 2018 at 9:21pm PDT
Madison Haley had the first scoring chance of the game, heading Tegan McGrady's cross wide of the far post. Haley was whistled for a hand ball in the box in the 12th minute, and Olivia Athens buried the penalty kick into the bottom left corner to hand Stanford its first deficit in over one calendar year.
20' | @madog_9 gets the assist on @catarinamacario's 5th of the season, but check. Out. This. FINISH. ?? ??: @Pac12Network
— Stanford Women's Soccer (@StanfordWSoccer) September 28, 2018
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Stanford responded seven minutes later through Macario. Haley won the ball in the UCLA half, lofting a through ball into the path of Macario, who cleverly chipped Lauren Brzykcy for her fifth goal of the season to tie the game, 1-1. Macario and Smith had great chances to put Stanford ahead, but Brzykcy denied them at point-blank range to keep the game level heading into the break.
It took Macario just 33 seconds to break the tie in the second half, smashing a spectacular volley from the 18-yard line inside the right post. After Stanford had several chances to make it 3-1, Sophia Smith won the ball near the Bruins' penalty area and slotted home her fifth of the season to give Stanford the two-goal advantage.
WATCH | @sophsssmith wins it and finishes it herself to make it 3-1, Stanford! Catch the finish on @Pac12Network.
— Stanford Women's Soccer (@StanfordWSoccer) September 28, 2018
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UCLA struck back just 39 seconds later through Viviana Villacorta, who slammed home a loose ball in the box after a Bruin free kick. Jahansouz made a key save in the 81st minute to preserve the lead, and Stanford fought off the Bruins' pressure to see out the victory.
Smith led Stanford with eight shots, Macario finished with seven and Haley had five.
Top-ranked Stanford returns to action on Sunday at 1 p.m. when it plays host to No. 2 USC, the second No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup on The Farm in three weekends. The game, which concludes a seven-game homestand, will air on Pac-12 Networks with live statistics available at GoStanford.com.
Cardinal Notes
- The Cardinal has not lost since Aug. 25, 2017. It is the eighth-longest in Division I history and the longest since UCLA went 44 games unbeaten from 2013-14.
- After UCLA's opening goal, it marked the first time Stanford had trailed in a match since Aug. 25, 2017. The Cardinal has trailed for 16:28 in the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
- Stanford has won its last 20 Pac-12 contests, a streak dating to Oct. 6, 2016.
- Macario leads the team with six goals while Smith has five.
- The assist for Haley was her second of the season.