STANFORD, Calif. - A disrupted and uncertain start to the season has not slowed down Stanford men's soccer's start to the season.
Despite a rushed build up to the season, and training being segmented into groups during January, the Cardinal (2-0-0) scored five goals off six assists in a 5-0 victory over San Francisco (0-0-2), Monday night at Laird Q. Cagan Stadium. Six Stanford players scored points on the night, led by Will Richmond's five off a brace and an assist.
"I'm really excited about what we're seeing," the Knowles Family Director of Men's Soccer Jeremy Gunn said. "The team is looking really energetic and really fit. We went through the whole time period of having to train in small numbers and having to train in limited ways. We really felt that we were really etching the pieces together and we're very excited looking at the big picture. There are lots of great things to come out of these first two games, and then there are lots of things we can keep pushing and improving upon."
Keegan Tingey put together a career performance, ending the contest with a goal and two assists. The defender/midfielder opened the scoring for Stanford with a goal in the 18th minute. Richmond sent a cross from the far side that was cleared out by a Dons defender, straight to Tingey outside of the box. Tingey dribbled to the left corner, before sending a strike into the upper right corner of the net – his first goal in a Cardinal kit.
18' | ?????????????????????? ??@keegan_tingey fires off an unassisted goal from the left corner of the penalty box! Stanford leads 1-0!#GoStanford ?? pic.twitter.com/XABgIi59DM
— Stanford Men's Soccer (@StanfordMSoccer) February 16, 2021
The sophomore returned the favor on an assist to Richmond for the latter's first goal in the match. Tingey sent an arching ball to Richmond to the left side. Richmond dribbled just inside the box, and his shot made it past a defender to give Stanford a 2-0 lead in the 25th minute.
Richmond would pick up his second goal of the night in the second half in the 59th minute, dribbling past a defender to take a shot across his body from the center of the box. His low shot could not be contained by San Francisco's keeper, and rolled past the line for a 4-0 Cardinal lead.
The brace is Richmond's first career multi-goal game and gives him a team-leading three goals on the year – already surpassing his career total entering the spring campaign.
Stanford also received goals from Zach Ryan (36') and Charlie Wehan (78') on the night. Andrew Thomas recorded his second-consecutive clean sheet in goal, as the Cardinal have outscored opponents 9-0 to open the season.
59' | Will Richmond is on a ?????????????? ??
— Stanford Men's Soccer (@StanfordMSoccer) February 16, 2021
He gets his second goal of the night to put Stanford up 4-0!#GoStanford ?? pic.twitter.com/bsYDwHlAXu
The victory gives Stanford a 2-0 start to the season for the second-straight year and extends the streak of shutouts over San Francisco to four.
Monday's game concludes Stanford's nonconference season. The Cardinal will open Pac-12 play on the road with a trip across the San Francisco Bay to face California, Feb. 20, at Edwards Stadium.