STANFORD. Calif. – Senior goalkeeper Haley Craig made four saves, including three crucial stops in the final 20 minutes, as No. 1 Stanford (7-0) held on to defeat USC (4-1-1) 2-1 on Sunday from Cagan Stadium.
With the score 2-1 in favor of Stanford late in the match, USC pushed hard for the equalizer, forcing Craig into a pair of saves in the 84th minute. The native of Dexter, Mich. punched a shot from distance over the bar and then saved a point-blank header on the ensuing corner kick opportunity.
The Trojans nearly claimed the equalizer in the 87th minute as Kayla Colbert found the back of the net only to be ruled offside. The play went to VAR, but was upheld.
As it has all season, Stanford came out strong on the attack, taking a 1-0 lead in the sixth minute off a header from Mia Bhuta. Bhuta received a perfect cross from Andrea Kitahata on the left wing and headed home her second goal of the season.
The Cardinal extended the lead to 2-0 just before half as freshman Eleanor Klinger opened her collegiate scoring account with her first career goal. Graduate student Samantha Williams received a pass on the right wing, took one touch forward and sent a cross across the box to Klinger who one-timed a shot from just in front of the penalty spot past USC goalkeeper Laurence Gladu.
Gladu finished the match with four saves for the Trojans.
Despite USC putting pressure on the Cardinal defense throughout the second half, the only goal allowed by Stanford was an own goal in the 49th minute.
Stanford will return to action on Sunday, September 15 when it visits No. 12 Santa Clara for a 1 p.m. kickoff.
GAME NOTES:
• Each of the last seven matches between Stanford and USC have been decided by one goal or fewer
• Stanford posted an 18-9 advantage in shots, but USC took nine corners while allowing seven for the Cardinal … seven of USC’s nine came in the second half
• The Cardinal owns a 116-5-9 record at Cagan Stadium since the start of the 2014 season
• Bhuta has now scored in consecutive Sunday matches after contributing a goal in a 2-0 victory over Washington State on September 1
• Kitahata had a five-match scoring streak snapped on Sunday, but she has managed at least one point in each of her last six after contributing an assist on the Bhuta goal