STANFORD, Calif. – Once the Cardinal scored its first, it didn't stop. Stanford used three successive strikes early in the second half to put away San Diego State in the conference opener for both schools, 3-0.
Sophomore midfield Logan Panchot was first with a header in the 55th, Zach Ryan made a blazing run down the left side to score 83 seconds later and Amir Bashti closed the series with an upper-90 laser in the 66th. Stanford (4-1-3, 1-0-0 Pac-12), the four-time defending Pac-12 champion, is unbeaten in its last 12 conference clashes and has won seven straight.
"I thought it was a great way to start conference," Knowles Family Director of Men's Soccer Jeremy Gunn said. "We passed and moved the ball the best we have all season and coupled that with some clinical finishing. It's a clean sheet and three goals against a team that had been in a really good run of form and putting away their opponents quite easily. Now it's more Pac-12 soccer and next game up."
Stanford scored its first when Collin Liberty took a quick throw in in front of the Cardinal bench and played it short to the feet of Bashti at the near corner of the box. The senior stopped, turned onto his left and lofted in a cross Panchot, who found himself free at the far post and deposited his header past Cameron Hogg to open his tally in 2018.
First of the season for Stanford's midfield captain, @Lo_Ponch.
— Stanford Men's Soccer (@StanfordMSoccer) September 28, 2018
?? » @Pac12Network#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/DrpcUUFlmk
Ryan extended the lead shortly after when he jostled with a San Diego State (4-3-1, 0-1-0 Pac-12) defender just past the midline. The redshirt freshman knocked his man off the ball and the proceeded to steak down the sideline. Once he reached the corner of the 18, Ryan cut inside and scored his third of the season at the near post.
Two goals. 83 seconds.
— Stanford Men's Soccer (@StanfordMSoccer) September 28, 2018
?? » @Pac12Network#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/RBfhrVNdBR
In the 65th minute it was Amir Bashti who answered the bell, taking control from two Aztecs at midfield and bolting up the center of the pitch. No SDSU player came out to stop the ball and once Bashti arrived just outside the box he cracked his fourth of the year to the upper left corner, leaving Hogg no chance.
IT'S ALL HAPPENING SO FAST.
— Stanford Men's Soccer (@StanfordMSoccer) September 28, 2018
?? » @Pac12Network#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/2NFd94UK0K
"In the first half [our work] wasn't translating into enough chances, but once we got that first goal you saw the collective confidence rise a little bit," Gunn added. "People looked comfortable and we added some great ones. We've had twice as many shots on other days and it has been a struggle to score, but that's the game. No matter what role you had tonight you have to be happy with the overall outcome. It was good defending, but great work on the ball that won it for us and then clinical finishing on top of that."
San Diego State controlled the majority of the game's first 10 minutes before Stanford found itself and possessed for a large part of the next 35 minutes. The only real goal-scoring opportunity in the first half came from Derek Waldeck in the 35th minute when he tried to curl in an attempt from the top left corner of the box that sailed past the post.
Andrew Thomas was largely untested save for a 53rd-minute stop when Illai Shvika went far post, but the Stanford keeper dove on the ground and gathered it in with his left hand.
Stanford closes out its five-match homestand when it hosts UCLA on Sunday at 5 p.m. The first 500 fans in attendance will receive scarves celebrating the program's three consecutive national championships.