STANFORD, Calif. – In a battle of two Bay Area rivals, No. 3 Stanford (7-0-1) defeated No. 12 Santa Clara (6-1-2) 1-0 on Sunday night from Cagan Stadium.
While both teams had offensive chances, including shots off the woodwork on each side, redshirt sophomore Andrea Kitahata contributed the game's only goal – finding the back of the net in the 33rd minute for the Cardinal.
Fifth-year player Maya Doms won a ball just outside the Santa Clara box, feeding Jasmine Aikey a pass at the top of the box. Aikey took a couple touches and connected with Kitahata on a back heel pass that created just enough space for Kitahata to cut the ball back to her right foot and unleash a shot toward the back post that found the upper corner of the net for her team-high tying fourth goal of the year.
The one tally proved enough for senior goalkeeper Ryan Campbell, who went the distance and made five saves to record her third shutout of the season.
The Cardinal outshot the Broncos 17-12 in the match, and played to a slim 3-2 advantage in corner kicks.
Doms and Kitahata each finished the match with five shots, including three on goal. Controlling the midfield, Doms and freshman Shae Harvey played all 90 minutes, while Kitahata logged 84 on the attack.
Five different Santa Clara players registered a team-best two shots, but none were able to put one past Campbell. Stanford's back line of Elise Evans, Kennedy Wesley, Avani Brandt, Kellie Pagador and Nya Harrison were outstanding in the victory, shutting down a Santa Clara offense that averaged 2.13 goals per game.
Santa Clara goalkeeper Marlee Nicolos finished the match with eight saves to keep the Broncos within a goal, turning away a handful of quality opportunities from the Cardinal in the second half.
Stanford will begin Pac-12 play next week, traveling to Washington State for a Friday kickoff at 7 p.m.
GAME NOTES
- Now 7-0-1 to start the season, and with the 2022 campaign coming to an end via a penalty kick shootout, the Cardinal is unbeaten in its last 20 matches (17-0-3) and has posted 10 shutouts in the last 16 contests
- Prior to Sunday's 1-0 shutout, all three of Stanford's previous shutouts this year were 4-0 decisions (at San Diego, August 17; vs. San Francisco, August 24; vs. #10 Duke, September 2)
- With the tally on Sunday, Kitahata has now scored in three of her last four matches
- The Cardinal has played to a 156-74 advantage in shots this year and has outscored the opposition 21 -4
- Stanford owns a 104-5-8 record at Cagan Stadium since the start of the 2014 season
- With the win, Stanford is 4-0 so far this year against teams in the WCC, having defeated San Diego, San Francisco, Saint Mary's and Santa Clara