STANFORD, Calif. - Varsity Field Hockey Turf will see its first action of the new season, as Stanford (2-0) welcomes Kent State to The Farm for a Thursday matinee.
Action begins at noon PT and will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra.
LAST TIME OUT » The Cardinal delivered a dominant performance on Sunday en route to a 5-0 victory over Ball State, outshooting Ball State 19-2 and holding an 11-2 advantage in penalty corners. Among the goal scorers for the Cardinal were Alayna Burns, Chantal Eiwanger, Star Horlock, Liv Martin, and Cara Sambeth, leading Stanford to its first 2-0 start to a season since 2020.
SEASON-OPENING WIN » Stanford began the season with a neutral-site contest against Ohio, generating offensive pressure early and often against the Bobcats to secure the season-opening win. The Cardinal jumped out to a commanding 3-0 lead at the halftime break, and adding a fourth goal in the third quarter to close out the victory. Goal scorers for Stanford included Start Horlock, Allison Kuzyk, Kate Nemec, and Cara Sambeth, while Daisy Ford tallied her first win of the season between the posts.
SPREADING THE WEALTH » Through the first two games of the season, Stanford saw seven different goal scorers. Star Horlock and Cara Sambeth each tallied a pair of goals to pace the team in the early going, while Alayna Burns, Chantal Eiwanger, Allison Kuzyk, and Kate Nemec each registered their first goals in a Cardinal uniform.
INAUGURAL ACC SEASON » 2024 marks Stanford's first ACC season after competing in the America East conference since 2015. The ACC consists of nine programs - Boston College, California, Duke, Louisville, North Carolina, Stanford, Syracuse, Virginia, and Wake Forest - seven of which are ranked in the NFHCA preseason poll. The Cardinal slotted in tied-8th in the ACC preseason poll with 15 points.
NEW LOOK CARDINAL » Stanford welcomes seven new additions to the squad ahead of the 2024 campaign, welcoming five incoming freshmen and a pair of impact transfers to The Farm. Head Coach Roz Ellis' third recruiting class on The Farm includes Nadine Brenninkmeyer, Anya Jackson, Hailey King, Jenny O'Grady, and Bea Varley. Alayna Burns and Allison Kuzyk join the Cardinal via the transfer portal from Duke and Penn, respectively. The incomers join a young but experienced core that Stanford returns 88 percent of its offensive production from a season ago.
KEY RETURNERS » The Cardinal returns all but two members of its roster from a season ago, headlined by All-America East Second Team and All-America East Rookie Team selection Star Horlock. Stanford also welcomes a young but experienced defensive core, with the backline trio of Anna Ghuliani, Puja Nanjappa, and Mia Clark starting in all 15 games a season ago.
STANFORD ADDS KAHN TO STAFF » The Cardinal coaching staff added a huge piece during the 2023 offseason, hiring Maddie Kahn as Assistant Goalkeeping Specialist. A standout athlete during her five years of competition, Kahn arrives on The Farm after stints with North Carolina and Lehigh. Kahn brings championship-level experience to Stanford, leading North Carolina to the national championship last season as the starting goalkeeper. A first-of-its-kind position on the Cardinal staff, Kahn will work closely with Stanford's goalkeepers in her new role to provide individualized coaching and support to help them reach their full potential.
CARDINAL, WHITE, AND BLUE » Over the summer, former Stanford standout Kelsey Bing represented Team USA in Paris as the starting goalkeeper, becoming just the second athlete in program history to be named to an Olympic roster. Bing recorded 23 saves in five games at Stade Yves-du-Manoir, including a five-save shutout in a 1-0 win over South Africa.