RICHMOND, Va. – In a match that was delayed nearly three hours due to heavy thunderstorms in the area, No. 2 Stanford (6-0-0) defeated VCU (1-4-2) 2-1 on a goal in the 83rd minute from Andrea Kitahata on Thursday night.
Kitahata's goal, her third of the season, came on a headed cross that originated from Amalie Pianim, and answered an equalizer from VCU in the 74th minute.
Junior goalkeeper Haley Craig was credited with a career-best 10 saves as VCU put up 17 shots. The lone blemish on Craig's line came on a shot from distance from VCU's Jordan Pieklo that was aimed toward the back corner of the net. Craig got a hand on the attempt, but could not bat it away from goal.
Scoreless through 43 minutes of play, Stanford finally broke through in the 44th minute as freshman Erica Grilione slipped a shot under the slide of VCU goalkeeper Allison Karpovich. The goal was Grilione's second of the season and sent the Cardinal, which held an 11-4 advantage in shots through the first 45 minutes, into the locker room with the advantage.
Craig was tested frequently in the second half, allowing the one goal as VCU managed to outshoot Stanford 13-8 in the final 45 minutes.
Karpovich was credited with four saves, the best of which came in the 67th minute as Maya Doms unleashed a shot that was deflected away as Karpovich came off her line and went into a slide to keep the deficit at 1-0 to that point.
The Cardinal will remain on the East Coast this weekend, traveling to No. 13 Georgetown for a match on Sunday at 10 a.m. PT.
GAME NOTES
- Stanford is now 6-0 through six matches to start a season for the fifth time in the last 17 seasons dating back to 2007 ... has been unbeaten through six matches in 10 of those 17 seasons
- Now 6-0 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 18 matches (16-0-2) and has posted nine shutouts in the last 14 contests.
- Amalie Pianim assisted on both of Stanford's goals on Thursday night, finishing with two points – the first two of her career … is the first Cardinal to record two assists in a match this year, and the first since Julia Leontini had two against Utah on October 27, 2022
- Leontini was also credited with an assist on Stanford's first goal of the night – her first of the season
- So far this year, 10 different Cardinal have scored a goal and 13 players have factored into points ... Jasmine Aikey, Maya Doms and Andrea Kitahata lead the way with three goals, followed by two apiece from Erica Grilione, Joelle Jung and Kennedy Wesley, and one each from Nya Harrison, Shae Harvey, Lumi Kostmayer and Samantha Williams
- Haley Craig's 10 saves topped her previous high of four at DePaul on September 11, 2022 … are the most saves for a Cardinal goalkeeper since Ryan Campbell had 10 against No. 15 BYU on November 17, 2022