STANFORD, Calif. - Stanford field hockey (6-8, 0-6 ACC) returns to Varsity Turf to resume conference play, playing host to Wake Forest (6-8, 1-4 ACC) on Friday at 5 p.m. PT on ACC Network Extra.
LAST TIME OUT » Stanford field hockey ended its final road trip of the regular season in thrilling fashion, defeating Indiana, 2-1, on Sunday at Deborah Tobias Field. Scout Butler and Star Horlock scored for the Cardinal, their second and fourth goals of the season, respectively, while assists were credited to Liv Martin, Bea Varley and Allison Kuzyk. Martin tied Jenny O'Grady for the team lead with five helpers this season, while Daisy Ford made four saves to earn the win in goal.
CARA'S CAREER YEAR » Returning to the squad after a gap year in 2023, Cara Sambeth has already posted career-highs in both goals (5) and points (10) this season. With an increased role on the offensive end with a 0.238 shot percentage, Sambeth's efficiency has also improved greatly with 52% of her shots being on target.
SURGING SOPHOMORES » Star Horlock and Liv Martin have enjoyed breakout second seasons for the Cardinal in 2024. Horlock has netted four goals this season, matching her total from last year with two games remaining, and ranks second in the time in points (9). Martin has been one of the best facilitators on the Stanford offense, dishing five assists on the year to hold a share of the team lead.
DAZZLING DAISY » Daisy Ford has enjoyed her best season on The Farm thus far for the Cardinal, posting a career-best 0.747 save percentage so far this season. Ford ranks third in the conference with that mark, while also sitting atop the ACC in saves per game (5.07).
FRESHMAN FACILITATOR » Freshman Jenny O'Grady has made an immediate impact on the field for Stanford this season, holding a share of the team lead with five assists this season. O'Grady is looking to become the second consecutive freshman to lead the team in assists after Gemma Townsend accomplished the feat a season ago.
HOME OPENING WEEKEND » Stanford enjoyed the best start to a season since 2020 last Thursday, defeating Kent State, 3-1, in the home opener to move to 3-0. Stanford's defense shined with four penalty corner stops and a penalty stroke save, while Nadine Brenninkmeyer, Star Horlock, and Allison Kuzyk accounted for Stanford's trio of goals. The Cardinal would however suffer its first setback of the season on Sept. 8 against Northeastern in a 1-0 shutout. Junior netminder Daisy Ford was a bright spot for Stanford with a season-high six saves
SEASON-OPENING SWEEP » Stanford tallied a pair of road wins to open up the 2024 campaign, notching a 4-1 victory over Ohio in a neutral-site contest and a 5-0 shutout against Ball State. With an offensive outpouring to start the year, Stanford saw seven different goal scorers through the first two games, outshooting opponents 34-11 in that span.
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 joined 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.