CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — In a dominant defensive performance, No. 14 Stanford stymied No. 7 Virginia en route to a 13-7 victory over the Cavaliers at Klöckner Stadium on Sunday, earning its highest ranked win in nearly a decade and its first in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
Lucy Pearson - who finished the afternoon with five saves - was called into action early, standing toe-to-toe with UVA’s Madison Alaimo. Facing what could have been an early 1-0 deficit, Pearson stepped up and stonewalled Alaimo point-blank. It was signs of what was to come for the remaining 58 minutes.
UVA got out of the gates following its first high-quality chance, jumping out to a 3-0 lead with just over six minutes to go. However, the Cardinal began its comeback with two late goals as Aliya Polisky and Jordyn Case began their accounts for the day.
Polisky and Case continued what would end up being a 6-0 run for the Cardinal in the second quarter, tallying their second goals of the game just 20 seconds apart with over 12 minutes left in the quarter to give Stanford its first lead. Lexi Rodell put Stanford up 5-2 with her fifth of the season before Polisky claimed her fourth hat trick of the season - and fifth consecutive - to put the visitors ahead, 6-3. UVA, though, tallied twice in the second part of the quarter to give Stanford the one goal lead heading into the break.
Coming out of the intermission, UVA found the opening goal of the second half just under two minutes into it. It would be its last until the final minute of action.
Stanford forced UVA into 11 turnovers in the second half, including four shot clock violations to keep the Cavaliers away from goal. 10 Cardinal also registered caused turnovers during the game led by Rylee Bouvier’s two caused turnovers.
Offensively, Stanford continued the onslaught during the third quarter with Case completing the hat trick to begin a 7-0 scoring run that last nearly the entirety of the second half. Maddigan Miller and Polisky tallied in the frame as the Cardinal took a 9-6 advantage into the final 15 minutes. Across a six-minute span, Lindsey Devir, Ava Arceri, Bouvier and Case found the back of the net to push Stanford to a 13-6 lead. UVA eventually broke its scoring drought with a fast break goal in the final minute but it was too little too late for the hosts as the Cardinal earned its first-ever program win over the Cavaliers and dispatched the No. 7 team in the country for its highest ranked win since 2016.
Stanford is back in action next week, hosting ACC opponents, Pitt, on Thursday, February 27 before taking on Villanova on Saturday, March 1.