WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - Corinne Zanolli's goal in the 52nd minute lifted No. 17 Stanford to a 1-0 victory over Albany on Thursday afternoon in the opening round of the America East Conference Tournament.
Stanford (13-6, 4-0 America East) turned up its offensive pressure in the fourth quarter, firing off four shots to match its production from the first three quarters combined.
Zanolli, who leads the nation in goals (29) and points (61), scored the game-winner on a penalty corner at the 51:09 mark. Fenella Scutt and Sarah Johnson provided their 16th and 14th assists, respectively, maintaining their position among the nation's top-10 in that category.
Kelsey Bing kept the Cardinal within striking distance, making seven saves to preserve the shutout.
Albany (11-8, 2-3 America East) owned a 9-8 advantage in shots while Stanford held a 3-2 edge in penalty corners.
Stanford next faces Maine on Friday at 10:30 a.m. PT in the semifinals.