STANFORD, Calif. – Freshman Elise Evans corralled a loose ball at the near post on a Stanford corner kick, spun and fired a shot into the back of the net in the 44th minute to provide what proved to be the match-winner in a 1-0 Stanford victory over No. 1 UCLA on Friday night from Cagan Stadium.
The Cardinal, which entered the match ranked No. 9 in the nation, improved to 12-2-1 and 5-1-0 in the Pac-12, while UCLA (13-1-0, 5-1-0 Pac-12) suffered its first loss of the year. Stanford, UCLA and USC all sit atop the Pac-12 standings with one loss in conference play.
The victory over a No. 1 team was just the second in Stanford's history, and its first on The Farm. Stanford previously defeated a No. 1 opponent on August 30, 2002 when it blanked No. 1 Santa Clara 3-0 on the road to open that campaign. Friday's victory was the first for the Cardinal over a top-five opponent since defeating No. 4 BYU 5-1 on November 29, 2019.
Stanford brought in temporary seating for the Friday affair, announcing an attendance of 2,477 on a night in which it also promoted mental health awareness. The Cardinal gave away mental health awareness t-shirts, encouraged fans to share positive mental health messages on a wall of wellness at the entrance to the stadium, and painted a 19 just outside the goalkeeper box in memory of former Cardinal Katie Meyer.
The two Pac-12 powerhouses put on a tremendous show on Friday night, playing a hard-fought match that saw chances on both ends and outstanding defense and goalkeeper play.
UCLA, guided by first-year head coach Margueritte Aozasa after spending seven seasons on The Farm under Paul Ratcliffe, managed to post a 17-8 advantage in shots – the first time Stanford has been topped in that category this season. While UCLA had 17 total shots, the Bruins put just four on frame compared to three from Stanford.
Junior goalkeeper Ryan Campbell was outstanding for the Cardinal, making four key saves to seal the victory. Campbell and the Cardinal, protecting the 1-0 advantage throughout the second half, withstood a barrage of shots from UCLA down the stretch in the second half. The top-ranked Bruins finished the final 45 minutes with 12 shots, forcing Campbell into three saves.
UCLA goalkeeper Lauren Brzykcy also impressed, making a pair of saves while allowing just the one goal.
The shutout victory was the seventh of the year for the Cardinal.
Stanford will return to action next week when it travels to Oregon to face the Ducks at 7 p.m. on Thursday. The Cardinal will then visit Oregon State on Sunday for a noon kickoff.