EUGENE, Ore. – Catarina Macario's stunning free kick in the 100th minute lifted No. 1 Stanford to a 1-0 overtime victory at Oregon on Thursday night at Pape Field.
After Madison Haley won a free kick from 25 yards out, Macario blasted one into the upper 90 past Halla Hinriksdottir for her team-leading seventh goal of the season in the final minute of the first period of extra time. Stanford's program-record unbeaten streak reaches 34 games – the Cardinal has not lost since Aug. 25, 2017.
The Cardinal (11-0-1, 4-0-0 Pac-12) went to overtime for the fifth time this season, battling back and forth with the Ducks (7-4-1, 1-3-0), who forced a career-high four saves by Lauren Rood. Stanford outshot Oregon 23-8, including a 7-4 advantage in shots on goal, but had few scoring chances in regulation before Macario sent the fans packing.
The Cat is out of the bag ??#gostanford
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Stanford finished the first half with a 7-3 advantage in shots and no real scoring chances until the 38th minute. Carly Malatskey, on as a substitute, combined with Jordan DiBiasi in the left side of the box to force a fine save by Hinriksdottir. Two minutes later, DiBiasi sent Kuhlmann through on the counter attack with the sophomore forcing another save by Hinriksdottir with her left-footed shot.
After the break, Stanford had chances through Macario and Sophia Smith to start the period but did not trouble Hinriksdottir in net. Haley had a great scoring chance in the 58th minute, only to have her shot blocked, and Kuhlmann's chance in the 68th minute was also blocked.
The Cardinal's best chance of the second half came when Smith turned her defender from 30 yards out and raced through on goal, only for her well-struck shot to rattle the near post and skid along the goal line past the far post. Rood made two saves in each of the halves, including one in the 80th minute, her fourth, to keep the game scoreless.
Stanford applied the pressure throughout the first nine minutes of overtime until Haley won the free kick. Macario, standing alongside Tegan McGrady, stepped up and buried her first free kick goal of the season to end the contest. Macario led the team with 10 shots while Smith had three and Kuhlmann had three.
No. 1 Stanford returns to action on Sunday when it plays Oregon State in Corvallis, Oregon, on Pac-12 Networks. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. with live statistics available at GoStanford.com.
Cardinal Notes
- Stanford's unbeaten streak is the eighth-longest in Division I history and longest since UCLA went 44 games unbeaten from 2013-14.
- The Cardinal's 22-game Pac-12 win streak is tied for the 15th-longest in Division I history – Stanford has won every conference contest since Oct. 6, 2016.
- It was Stanford's fifth overtime game in its last nine contests – the Cardinal is 4-0-1 in such games.
- It is the second straight year Macario has scored a free kick against Oregon – last season, she opened the scoring with a 35-yard free kick at Cagan Stadium.
- Four of Macario's 24 career goals have come from free kicks.
- Stanford has trailed for a total of 7:29 minutes in 2018 – the Cardinal has trailed for 16:28 minutes over the past two seasons.
- Michelle Xiao made her first appearance since Sept. 9 in a substitute appearance.