STATE COLLEGE, Penn. – No. 3 Stanford earned a 3-1 win over No. 11 West Virginia to cap a 2-0-0 road trip to start the season on Sunday at Jeffrey Field.
The Cardinal (2-0-0) benefited from three first-half goals for its second win over ranked opposition in three days after Stanford's season-opening 2-1 win at No. 6 Penn State on Friday. Carly Malatskey, Sierra Enge and Madison Haley each scored and Katie Meyer made one save in her collegiate debut to pick up the win.
The Cardinal seized the lead in the 13th minute when Malatskey, making her first start of the season, netted her second career goal to make it 1-0. Pressuring a Mountaineer defender 25 yards from West Virginia's goal, Malatskey won the ball back and calmly slotted past the goalkeeper.
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Stanford doubled its advantage in the 36th minute when Enge, in just her second career appearance, pounced on a rebound to tuck away her first career goal. Maya Doms' 25-yard free kick cannoned off the crossbar and Enge was quickest to the rebound, tapping it in past goalkeeper Rylee Foster to open her collegiate account.
Haley's first goal of the season made it 3-0 five minutes later. Pressing the Mountaineers' (1-1-0) back line, Beattie Goad won it back and the ball fell to Haley, who lofted it over Foster and beneath the crossbar for a beautifully-taken strike just before the halftime whistle.
After the break, West Virginia wasted no time cutting into the lead, scoring in the 46th minute to make it 3-1. The Cardinal and Mountaineers traded scoring chances over the final 30 minutes – Haley played Macario through on goal in the 74th minute, only for the shot to sail high, and debutante Kattalin Stahl connected on a Macario cutback in the 76th minute, but her shot was straight at Foster.
Stanford was lucky not to concede late in the contest when West Virginia won a penalty kick in the 85th minute, only for Lauren Segalla's shot to drift wide of the post. The Cardinal finished with a 13-4 advantage in shots, including an 8-2 edge in shots on goal and a 3-1 advantage in corner kicks.
No. 3 Stanford returns to Laird Q. Cagan Stadium for its regular-season home opener on Friday when it plays host to Penn at 7 p.m., followed by a 6 p.m. matchup against San Jose State on Sunday. Both games will air on Pac-12 Networks with live statistics and tickets available at GoStanford.com.
Cardinal Notes
- Today marked the first career starts for Meyer and Enge, the latter of whom appeared off the bench in Friday's 2-1 win at No. 6 Penn State.
- Haley registered at least one point in each of Stanford's games this week, assisting Macario's game winner on Friday.
- Freshman Stahl made her first career appearance in midfield as a substitute.