COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Daisy Ford recorded a career-high 12 saves and Summer Knight-Thompson recorded her first collegiate goal as the Stanford field hockey team fought hard in its 2025 debut, ultimately falling to No. 4 Maryland in the Conference Cup, 3-1, on Friday afternoon.
"Really sharp moments today," said Susan Ewing York Director of Women's Field Hockey head coach Roz Ellis. "We need to execute our gameplan for a higher percentage of the time. When we nail it, we really roll well."
In a scintillating opener to the four-team regular season tournament, a hot start on both ends resulted in the game-opening goal, however, it was the hosts who had found the opening knock. Following a Stanford chance off the opening push back, the Terrapins found themselves on the front foot on the counter, ending with a Ella Gaitan tally just 100 seconds in.
The Cardinal, though, continued to battle the majority of the quarter in search of the equalizer, but were unable to find the decisive strike through 15 minutes. On the other end, Stanford’s penalty corner defense stood strong stopping all three chances for the Terps in the first frame, including one in the final 45 seconds as Maryland took a 1-0 lead into the second quarter.
Stanford, which had applied its press through the first half, weathered away the Terps defense resulting in the Cardinal’s season-opening goal five minutes into the quarter. Following some nifty work from Scout Butler, the senior backer slotted a pass that knocked into the path of Knight-Thompson who outshifted the Maryland goalkeeper and slotted home her first collegiate score to level the scoreline, 1-1.
The look of SKT's first collegiate goal! What a way to get us back in this one!
— Stanford Field Hockey (@StanfordFH) August 29, 2025
📺: BTN+ pic.twitter.com/BiBsF2XPQ1
"Summer is not playing like a first year," said Ellis. "She's molded herself into this squad and will be a staple on the scoring front."
Though Stanford continued to battle through the half, Marylan’s penalty corner attack - who had gone scoreless in eight chances - found the final breakthrough of the first 30 minutes. With Daisy Ford making two initial stops - totalling six in the frame - a rebound chance in the final 10 seconds made its way past the Stanford defense to give Maryland the lead into the break.
In the third, the Cardinal continued to battle in search of the tying goal but a penalty stroke strike from the Terps near the end of the third quarter increased the hosts lead to two. Stanford’s defense continued to shine in the final 19 minutes with Ford recording five saves in the half to limit the Terps for the remainder of the afternoon. The Cardinal penalty corner defense also held strong in the final frame, negating all three opportunities for the Terps and stopping 13 of Maryland’s 14 opportunities on the day.
Stanford is back in action on Sunday, August 31 in the penultimate match of the 2025 Conference Cup as the Cardinal take on James Madison. Push back from Maryland’s Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex is slated for 8 a.m. ET.