DALLAS – Charlotte Kohler’s goal in the 55th minute broke a 1-1 stalemate and handed No. 9 Stanford (11-1-1, 3-1-1 ACC) a 2-1 road victory at SMU (6-5-2, 2-2-2 ACC) on Saturday night from Washburne Soccer and Track Stadium.
Stanford finished with a 21-6 advantage in shots, including a 14-2 mark in the second half. Kohler’s game-winner – the first of her career – came on a putback following a cross from Allie Montoya that was kicked away by SMU goalkeeper Sierra Cota-Yarde. Kohler ran onto the free ball and one-time her right-footed shot into the back of the net for her third goal of the season.
Stanford’s first two real chances in the match proved fruitless as Andrea Kitahata intercepted a pass in Stanford’s attacking zone, made a move to her left and uncorked a shot over the bar in the 10th minute. Kitahata had another good chance in the 24th minute as Montoya worked her way down the right wing, cut the ball back and sent a cross through the box to the head of Kitahata. The native of Hillsborough, Calif. delivered a strong header, but her effort was right into the chest of SMU goalkeeper Sierra Cota-Yarde.
With the Cardinal trailing 1-0 following a Mustang goal in the 17th minute, Kitahata finally broke through in the 30th minute with her sixth goal of the season. Shae Harvey pressured an SMU defender in Mustang defensive zone and was able to poke a pass to Jaden Thomas. Thomas, who made her return to her hometown of Dallas, took the pass and played it on to Kitahata who cut the ball back to her right foot and smashed her shot into the back of the net for the equalizer.
SMU took the early 1-0 advantage in the 17th minute as Eliana Salama played a ball into the box that was directed toward the back post. Stanford goalkeeper Haley Craig had to hold her line as SMU attacker Nyah Rose feigned a play on the ball in front of goal before letting it through as it trickled just inside the back post for the goal.
Craig was ultimately credited with three saves, including a tip over the bar in the 34th minute to keep the match level at one goal apiece.
Stanford will return home next week, hosting Duke and North Carolina in a pair of crucial ACC matches. Thursday’s 7 p.m. kickoff with Duke is Stanford’s annual pink match raising awareness for breast cancer, while Sunday’s 1 p.m. match vs. North Carolina will be a red out.
GAME NOTES:
• Stanford is unbeaten in 48 of its last 50 matches overall (41-2-7)
• The Cardinal took eight corner kicks while surrendering three
• Stanford forced Cota-Yarde into seven saves
• Stanford allowed the first goal for just the second time this season (1-0 loss at No. 13 Wake Forest on September 19)
• The Cardinal is 7-1-0 in matches decided by one goal this season
• Including Kohler’s strike in the 55th minute, Stanford has scored five goals in the first 10 minutes of a match and has added five more within the first 10 minutes of the second-half kickoff - accounting for 10 of its 20 goals on the season
• Kitahata has contributed at least one point in eight of her last 12 matches and has totaled a team-best 16 points on the year