WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Stanford field hockey (8-8, 2-6 ACC) returns to postseason action for its first-ever ACC Championships appearance, kicking off the conference tournament against No. 9 Boston College (11-5, 6-2 ACC) on Tuesday at 3 p.m. PT on ACC Network.
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.
ALL-CONFERENCE CARA » Cara Sambeth was named a Second Team All-ACC honoree on Monday afternoon, giving the senior her third career all-conference nod after twice being named to the All-America East second team (2021-22). The Munich, Germany native is enjoying a career year after taking a gap year in 2023. Sambeth has posted career-highs in goals (6) and points (12) this season, leading the team in both statistical categories. It has also been Sambeth's most efficient season offensively, rattling the cage on 43% of her shots on target.
WEEKLY AWARD RECOGNITION » Junior netminder Daisy Ford was given the final ACC Defensive Player of the Week honor for the 2024 season after her performance between the posts in the regular season finale. Ford notched nine saves to lead Stanford to a 3-1 victory over California on Friday, clinching a berth in the 2024 ACC Field Hockey Championship. It was Ford's second consecutive game with nine saves and fifth game with at least nine saves this season. The Harleston, England, native leads the conference in saves per game (5.56) and ranks third in save percentage (.781).
SURGING SOPHOMORES » Star Horlock and Liv Martin have enjoyed breakout second seasons for the Cardinal in 2024. Horlock has netted five goals this season, besting her total from a season ago, and leads the team in points with 11. 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.
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.
FIRST CONFERENCE WIN » Stanford celebrated Senior Day by blanking Wake Forest, 1-0, notching the first ACC win in program history on Friday evening. The Cardinal defense played a large part in Friday's victory, fending off 16 Demon Deacon shots with a perfect 12-for-12 penalty corner defense to keep Wake Forest off the scoresheet. Ford put together another stellar start between the posts, registering nine saves in the effort, while Star Horlock was Stanford's lone goal scorer in the win.
HANDLED THE HOOSIERS » 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.
CARDINAL DOWNS DAVIS » Another solid effort from Daisy Ford led Stanford in defeating in-state rival UC Davis via 1-0 shutout. Ford excelled between the posts once again with four saves in the game, while Cara Sambeth netted her third goal of the season on a penalty stroke to give Stanford an insurmountable lead over the Aggies.
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.