Team HuddleTeam Huddle
Women's Soccer

Road Trip Concludes at Pitt

Stanford will continue Atlantic Coast Conference play this week, traveling to Pitt for a match on Sunday afternoon

Game Coverage

MATCH NOTABLES

Last year's meeting was the first between the two programs and ended in a draw ... Pittsburgh native Mia Bhuta scored the lone Cardinal goal against Pitt last year, but she is not expected to play on Sunday due to injury

QUICK PASSES

  • Stanford entered the week ranked No. 3 in the United Soccer Coaches poll, No. 6 according to TopDrawerSoccer, and is the only program to have reached the College Cup in each of the past two seasons ... held the No. 1 national ranking for two weeks this season (weeks of August 25 and September 1) ... Stanford spent three weeks ranked No. 1 according to United Soccer Coaches last season ... has been ranked in each of the last 37 United Soccer Coaches polls dating back to October 4, 2022 ... has recorded at least 15 wins in each of the last 18 seasons in which it has played 15 matches (played just 12 matches during the 2020-21 season) and has reached 20 wins in 10 of those seasons ... is the winningest program in California since 2010, compiling 288 victories
  • The Cardinal has scored at least three goals in six of the first eight matches of the year and has reached the five-goal plateau four times … totaled a season-best seven goals in the season opener vs. San Francisco ... 32 combined goals over the eight matches are the most since scoring 39 in the first eight of 2017
  • Stanford is averaging 24.40 shots per game, having posted at least 20 in six of the first eight matches of the season, and ranks second in the nation in scoring offense (4.00 goals per game)
  • The 7-0 victory over San Francisco to start this season marked the fifth consecutive campaign that Stanford opened the year with a shutout (2-0 at Cal Poly in 2021, 5-0 vs. Sacramento State in 2022, 4-0 at San Diego in 2023 and 1-0 at San Francisco in 2024)
  • The Cardinal enters Sunday's match carrying a 52-7-9 overall record over its last 68 matches
  • Stanford has conceded just seven goals so far this season, has posted three shutouts, and has managed a clean sheet in 35 of its last 64 contests overall
  • The Cardinal owns a 125-7-10 record at Cagan Stadium since the start of the 2014 season, but had an unbeaten streak of 34 straight home matches (32-0-2) snapped on October 10, 2024 vs. No. 1 Duke
  • Stanford has won two of the last eight College Cups - most recently capturing the title in 2019 ... made its 12th appearance in the College Cup a year ago, including its second in as many years ... has made six appearances in the College Cup Final ... is 3-3 in national championship matches
  • Including a 7-0 victory over San Francisco this season, Stanford owns a 19-match unbeaten streak in season openers (18-0-1) dating back to 2007 ... Stanford has posted 11 shutouts over the 19-match streak ... the Cardinal has won 15 straight season openers after playing to a 1-1 draw at Boston College to start the 2010 season
  • Jasmine Aikey has contributed at least a point in six of the first eight matches this season, and scored in three straight from August 24 to September 4 ... has a goal in five of the eight contests this season ... leads the team in total points with 15 (team-high seven goals and one assist) and has contributed two game-winners ... has managed a pair of braces this season and owns five multi-goal games in her career ... was ranked No. 47 on TopDrawerSoccer's Preseason Top 100 Players list
  • Mia Bhuta was on the watch list for the MAC Hermann Trophy ... was named TopDrawerSoccer Preseason Best XI first team and tabbed the No. 6 player on TopDrawerSoccer's Preseason Top 100 list ... started the first 48 of a possible 49 matches in her career
  • Caroline Birkel has started every match in goal this year ... is the first Stanford true freshman to start in goal since Jane Campbell started 18 matches in 2013
  • Elise Evans was named ACC co-Defensive Player of the Week and a member of the TopDrawerSoccer Team of the Week on August 19 ... contributed a pair of assists in Stanford's 7-0 victory vs. San Francisco to open the season before adding a goal vs. No. 16 Santa Clara in the second match of the year... also scored in Stanford's 6-0 victory over Arizona on August 28 ... was named TopDrawerSoccer Preseason Best XI second team and tabbed the No. 20 player on TopDrawerSoccer's Preseason Top 100 list
  • Lily Freer has played a team-best 661 minutes, including the full 90 in six of the first eight matches
  • Shae Harvey is ranked No. 61 on TopDrawerSoccer's Preseason Top 100 Players list ... has started 52 of a possible 56 matches in her career
  • Brooke Holden entered as a substitute in the 60th minute vs. San Francisco and went on to score a brace, notching goals in the 82nd and 87th minutes ... is the first Cardinal since at least 2000 to record a brace in her collegiate debut
  • Joelle Jung has contributed at least one assist in four of the last five matches ... has two multi-assist matches in the last four to run her career total to three multi-assist matches ... notched a goal and two assists against Saint Mary's on August 24 to post her first career match with a goal and an assist
  • Andrea Kitahata contributed at least one point in each of the first six matches this season and has a point in seven of the eight on the year ... scored in back-to-back matches against No. 16 Santa Clara and San Diego State ... was a preseason All-ACC selection and is tabbed the No. 70 player on TopDrawerSoccer's Preseason Top 100 list
  • Eleanor Klinger recorded her first career multi-goal match with a brace at No. 6 USC on September 4 ... has scored all three of her career goals against USC
  • Charlotte Kohler has contributed at least a point in five of the first eight matches this season and has contributed two game-winners ... had a string of three straight matches with a goal from August 21-28 ... posted her first career multi-goal match with two against Arizona on August 28
  • Allie Montoya scored in each of Stanford's first four matches, and has contributed at least one point in six of the first eight contests this year ... has scored four goals and added four assists to manage 12 points

NOW AND LATER

  • Stanford will continue Atlantic Coast Conference play this week, traveling to Pitt for a match on Sunday afternoon
  • Kickoff between the Cardinal and Panthers is set for 10 a.m. PT and Zack Gibney and Rachael Palmer will have the broadcast call on ACC Network Extra
  • Following the clash with Pitt, Stanford will take a week off from competition, returning home to host Boston College on Thursday, September 25 at 7 p.m.
  • The match against the Eagles will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS

  • Stanford will host Hispanic Heritage night on Thursday, October 9 vs. Virginia Tech
  • The Cardinal will promote Breast Cancer Awareness with one of a kind pink jerseys for a match against Virginia on Sunday, October 12 ... Stanford will also honor its alumni and the team will be signing autographs on the concourse following the match, so stick around and get your favorite autographs

CARDINAL IN THE TOP 10

  • Stanford opened the season at No. 7 in the United Soccer Coaches poll, spent two weeks at No. 1, and has been ranked in the Top 10 throughout the year
  • The Cardinal has been ranked in the top three in each of the last four polls
  • Prior to this season, the Cardinal last carried the No. 1 overall ranking according to United Soccer Coaches for three consecutive weeks starting on September 2 last year
  • The top ranking last year was the first for Stanford since finishing the 2019 season as the national champion
  • The ACC has held the No. 1 ranking in all but one week this season as Tennessee replaced Stanford this week ... North Carolina entered the year at No. 1, Duke owned the slot following one week of competition, and the Cardinal held the top spot the last two weeks
  • In the last 26 weeks of the United Soccer Coaches Poll, dating back to 2023, an ACC team has been ranked No. 1 in all but three polls

LAST TIME OUT

  • After Clemson scored a pair of second-half goals on corner kicks to erase a 2-0 deficit on Thursday night, Stanford scored what looked to be the go-ahead goal as the clock expired in regulation only to have the call overturned upon replay
  • With the final seconds ticking away, Elise Evans took a shot that deflected off Allie Montoya and found the back of the net ... the referee went to the monitor, and after a lengthy review, ruled Montoya was offside to end the match in a draw
  • The Cardinal dominated possession, but conceded on two of Clemson’s three corner kick opportunities – once in the 81st and again in the 89th minute
  • Stanford did not allow a shot to Clemson until the 73rd minute and outshot the Tigers 20-5 in the draw
  • Jasmine Aikey got the scoring started for the Cardinal, contributing a miraculous goal in the 21st minute ... the senior received a pass on the right side of the attack with little to no angle toward goal ... unphased, she flicked her right-footed shot toward the back post and in to make it 1-0 Stanford
  • Stanford extended the lead to 2-0 in the 51st minute when Clemson was whistled for a hand ball in the box leading to an Andrea Kitahata converted penalty

GETTING OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT

  • With a 7-0 shutout victory over San Francisco to start the year, Stanford now owns a 19-match unbeaten streak in season openers (18-0-1) dating back to 2007 ... Stanford has posted 11 shutouts over the 19-match streak
  • The Cardinal has won 15 straight season openers ... played to a 1-1 draw at Boston College to start the 2010 season
  • Stanford last dropped a season opener in 2006 - a 2-1 defeat at Utah
  • Stanford is 36-4-2 all time in season openers - including 20-2-1 under Paul Ratcliffe

FRESHMEN READY TO PLAY

  • Freshmen Caroline Birkel and Lily Freer have started every match of their inaugural campaigns on The Farm, with Freer logging a team-best 661 minutes, including the full 90 in six of the first eight
  • Fellow freshmen Brooke Holden, Noe Johnson and Y-Lan Nguyen have each played in all eight matches this season
  • Holden entered as a substitute in the 60th minute vs. San Francisco and went on to score a brace, notching goals in the 82nd and 87th minutes to become the first Cardinal since at least 2000 to record multiple goals in her collegiate debut ... she added a goal at No. 6 USC on September 4 to run her season total to three
  • Freshman Milly Bray has contributed a goal and an assist, Nguyen has tallied a goal in 368 minutes, and Ava Harrison has assisted on one tally
  • In addition to the freshmen debuts, sophomore Kaiya Jota also made her collegiate debut in goal against San Francisco in the season opener

THEY HAVE THE ANSWER

  • The Cardinal has allowed just seven goals this year, but when it has conceded, it has often been quick to respond with a counterpunch
  • Stanford allowed its first goal of the season to then-No. 16 Santa Clara on August 17 with the clock reading 88:51, but freshman Milly Bray got that goal back for the Cardinal just 24 second later
  • Saint Mary's scored in the 52nd minute on August 24, but Jasmine Aikey and Stanford responded for a goal in the 55th to regain all the momentum
  • After USC's Jaiden Anderson netted a goal in the final ticks of the 80th minute on September 4, Eleanor Klinger completed a brace with a goal in the 83rd

SPREADING THE WEALTH

  • Twelve different players have scored goals this season, and three more have contributed an assist, as 15 players have factored into points
  • The 12 different goal scorers are the fifth-most in the nation, trailing Houston and Indiana State (14), and Texas State and Louisville (13)
  • Jasmine Aikey has scored seven goals and added one assist for a team-best 15 points, while Allie Montoya has scored four goals while adding three assists for 12 points to match Andrea Kitahata's total of 12 from four goals and four assists
  • Charlotte Kohler has contributed four goals and two assists for 10 points, while Joelle Jung has posted 10 points on two goals and a team-high six assists

HOME SWEET HOME

  • Stanford owns a 125-7-10 record at Cagan Stadium since the start of the 2014 season
  • Stanford's 1-1 draw with Washington on October 14, 2023 ended a string of 21 straight wins at home – a stretch that dated back to October 3, 2021 … the Cardinal would extend it's unbeaten streak to 34 straight matches (32-0-2) before No. 1 Duke snapped the string with a 4-1 victory on October 10, 2024
  • The Cardinal is 5-0-0 so far this season at home and has outscored the opposition 25-2
  • The Cardinal went 7-2-1 last year at home and outscored the opposition 20-9
  • Stanford has managed unbeaten home slates in six of the last 11 seasons
  • Including a 7-0 victory over San Francisco this season, Stanford is unbeaten in its last 37 home openers (36-0-1) dating back to 1989 ... lone tie came vs. Portland in 2013
  • The Cardinal is outscoring opponents 130-14 with 26 shutouts over those 37 home openers
  • Stanford owns a 37-4-1 record overall in home openers in program history (since 1984)
  • Stanford had a 43-match unbeaten streak at home snapped during the 2020-21 season with a 1-0 loss to Cal on March 20 ... went 42-0-1 over the span, which began at the beginning of the 2017 season ... played to a 1-1 draw vs. then-No. 7 Santa Clara on September 16, 2018 for the only tie over the 43-match string

HITTING THE GROUND RUNNING

  • Stanford has scored seven goals in the first 15 minutes of a match this year, including three in the first 10 and two within five minutes of kickoff
  • Joelle Jung's third-minute goal vs. Saint Mary's on August 24 is the quickest tally for the Cardinal this year
  • The Cardinal has also been quick coming out for the second half, collecting seven goals in the first 15 minutes, and three in the first 10 minutes, of the second-half whistle ... Jung also has the fastest second-half goal, striking for one in the 47th minute against No. 16 Santa Clara on August 17
  • So far this season, Stanford has scored 16 goals in the first half and 16 in the second half of matches

SUCCESS UNDER RATCLIFFE

  • This fall marks the 23rd season under the direction of Knowles Family Director of Women's Soccer Paul Ratcliffe
  • Ratcliffe is Stanford's all-time winningest soccer coach with a 398-73-42 record in his tenure on The Farm
  • Ratcliffe has guided Stanford to three national championships, six NCAA finals, 10 conference titles, 11 College Cup appearances, a berth in the NCAA third round in 15 of the past 19 seasons, and a spot in the NCAA Tournament in 21 of his 22 seasons

CARDINAL TABBED FIFTH IN STACKED ACC

  • Stanford was picked to finish fifth in the Atlantic Coast Conference this season according to the league’s coaches
  • Defending national champion North Carolina was selected as the preseason favorite with 10 first-place votes and 246 overall points ... Notre Dame garnered two first-place votes and 229 points to edge Florida State (225 points) for second in the poll ... the Seminoles, which defeated Stanford in the 2023 College Cup final, earned four first-place votes while placing third ... Duke was picked fourth with 208 points, followed by the Cardinal with 201 points ... Virginia, which was selected seventh behind Wake Forest in the poll, garnered the final first-place vote
  • Including Stanford at No. 7, eight of the 17 ACC teams entered the 2025 season ranked in the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll - tied for most in the country ... joining the Cardinal in the top 10 were North Carolina (No. 1), Notre Dame (No. 2), Florida State (No. 3), Duke (No. 4) and Wake Forest (No. 10) ... Virginia Tech (No. 14) and Virginia (No. 15) also held national rankings to begin the year, while California and Clemson each received votes in the initial poll

AYE AYE, CAPTAINS!

  • Stanford named a quartet of players team captains ahead of the 2025 season - juniors Mia Bhuta and Shae Harvey, senior Elise Evans and redshirt senior Andrea Kitahata
  • Evans and Kitahata were both voted team captains a year ago, while Bhuta and Harvey are first-year captains on The Farm

PRESEASON ALL-ACC

  • In addition to the preseason poll, the ACC coaches also voted on a preseason All-ACC Team
  • Redshirt senior Andrea Kitahata was named to the 14-player squad
  • Kitahata led the Cardinal in goals (9), assists (6), game-winners (3) and points (24) a year ago, and had a goal in five consecutive matches during a stretch of the season - becoming the first Cardinal to score in five consecutive matches since Catarina Macario in the 2019 national title season

RELOADING FOR 2025

  • Continuing to maintain one of the premier women’s soccer programs in the nation, The Knowles Family Director of Women's Soccer Paul Ratcliffe added the No. 7 overall recruiting class for the 2025 season according to TopDrawerSoccer
  • The high-profile signing class includes Caroline Birkel, Milly Bray, Lily Freer, Ava Harrison, Brooke Holden, Noe Johnson, Y-Lan Nguyen and Alex Tay
  • Birkel and Freer joined the Cardinal as early-enrollees for the winter quarter in 2025 and began training with the Cardinal during the spring

O'HARA CLAIMS HER HALL OF FAME SPOT

  • One of the most decorated players in United States soccer history, Kelley O'Hara will be inducted into the Stanford Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2025 on Friday, September 26
  • Joining O'Hara as former student-athletes being inducted are Sarah Beeson Andersen (softball), Erin Burdette (women’s tennis), David DeCastro (football), Ryan Garko (baseball), Dan Gill (men’s gymnastics), Kiley Neushul (women’s water polo), Jeanette Pohlen (women’s basketball), Chasson Randle (men’s basketball) and Tank Williams (football)
  • O'Hara will be the ninth inductee from women's soccer and the first since Teresa Noyola in 2024
  • O'Hara led Cardinal to four NCAA appearances (2006-09), back-to-back NCAA College Cups (2008-09) and a national runner-up finish (2009)
  • MAC Hermann Trophy Award recipient (2009) - the first recipient in school history - along with Soccer America Player of the Year (2009) and NSCAA Player of the Year (2009), leading the nation in goals (26) and points (65) as a senior
  • Three-time NSCAA All-American (2007-09) and NCAA College Cup All-Tournament Team pick (2009)
  • Pac-10 Player of the Year (2009), fueling the Cardinal to its first conference title in seven seasons, and a four-time All-Pac-10 selection (2006-09)
  • Ranks fourth in school history in points (146), fourth in goals (57), and fifth in shots (344)
  • Three-time Olympian with Team USA (2012, 2016, 2020) and two-time medalist (2012 gold, 2020 bronze), concluding her USWNT career with 160 caps and playing in every senior world championship from 2011-23
  • Four-time World Cup participant with Team USA (2011, 2015, 2019, 2023) and three-time medalist (2011 silver, 2015 gold, 2019 gold)
  • Competed 11 seasons in NWSL, winning championships with Gotham FC (2023) and Washington Spirit (2021) while also collecting a title with FC Gold Pride (2010) of the WPS
  • CSC Academic All-America First Team (2009), NSCAA National Scholar-Athlete of the Year (2009), Senior CLASS Award finalist (2009), three-time Pac-10 All-Academic selection (2007-09)

REPRESENTING THE SENIOR NATIONAL TEAM

CARDINAL ON THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE

  • Tierna Davidson, Naomi Girma and Sophia Smith won gold playing with Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics
  • While 2024 marked the first Olympic gold for the trio, the Olympic medal was the second of Davidson’s career after helping the U.S. to a bronze at the Tokyo Games in 2020
  • Jane Campbell, an alternate with Team USA in 2024, also earned bronze playing alongside Davidson in Tokyo
  • Catarina Macario (United States) and Ali Riley (New Zealand) were also selected for the Games, but withdrew due to injury
  • Riley was set to play in her fifth Olympic Games with New Zealand, while Macario previously joined Davidson and Campbell in winning bronze in Tokyo
  • One of the top defenders in the world, Girma played every minute of the Olympics for the United States at center back, helping the U.S. post four clean sheets in the six matches
  • Proving herself a weapon on the attack for the United States, Smith scored three goals and added two assists ... she was directly involved in a goal in four of the USA’s six matches at the 2024 Olympics
  • Davidson missed the group stage final and the quarterfinal match in Olympic play, but returned to the starting lineup and the U.S. backline for the semifinal and gold-medal matches – a pair of 1-0 victories over Germany and Brazil
  • With three more added to the list, Stanford women’s soccer has now had seven former players win gold with the U.S. in Olympic competition – compiling 10 gold medals in total
  • Julie Foudy, who was on the broadcast call for the final against Brazil, was the first to capture gold, doing so in 1996 and then again in 2004 ... Nicole Barnhart and Rachel Buehler teamed for gold in 2008 before being joined by Kelley O’Hara on the 2012 gold-medal squad
  • Prior to guiding the United States to the top of the podium, Davidson, Girma and Smith led Stanford to national championships while on The Farm ... furthermore, each player ultimately became the No. 1 overall pick in their respective NWSL draft classes ... Davidson was a member of the 2017 national champions before being selected No. 1 overall in the 2019 NWSL draft ... Smith and Girma were both sophomores on the 2019 national championship squad before going No. 1 overall in 2020 and 2022, respectively
  • In addition to the 2024 Paris Games, seven former Cardinal represented their countries in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup
  • The Farm produced five players for Team USA, including Alana Cook, Girma, Kelley O'Hara, Smith and Andi Sullivan ... all but O'Hara (fourth World Cup) were making their inaugural appearance in the World Cup
  • Kyra Carusa made her World Cup debut with Ireland, while Riley captained New Zealand - earning the country's first World Cup victory ... for Riley, the 2023 World Cup was her fifth with The Ford Football Ferns
  • Stanford's five U.S. World Cup members were the most of any program in the nation, followed by North Carolina and Santa Clara with two

HOME OF CHAMPIONS

  • Stanford is the all-time leader with 137 NCAA team championships (70 men, 67 women), and 173 national championships overall
  • The Cardinal owns the most recognizable streak in college athletics, having won at least one NCAA team title during each of the last 49 seasons, dating back to the 1976-77 campaign
  • The Cardinal has also produced 565 NCAA individual champions and 658 overall
  • Stanford has won the Learfield Directors’ Cup in 26 of the possible 31 seasons, including a 25-year streak from 1995-2019

#OLYMPIANSMADEHERE

  • Stanford concluded the 2024 Paris Olympic Games with a school-record 39 medals, shattering its previous best while cementing its reputation on the world’s biggest stage as the nation’s top collegiate program
  • The 39 medals were 12 more than the previous record of 27 at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games
  • Stanford’s haul of 39 medals (12 gold, 14 silver, 13 bronze) was the most by any school at one Olympics
  • Included in the medal winners were Tierna Davidson, Naomi Girma and Sophie Smith who earned gold for Team USA in women's soccer
  • Cardinal student-athletes medaled in 13 of Stanford's 36 varsity sports: artistic swimming, women’s basketball, women’s fencing, men’s gymnastics, sailing, men’s rowing, women’s soccer, women’s swimming and diving, men’s track and field, men’s volleyball, women’s volleyball, men’s water polo, women’s water polo
  • The Cardinal boasted 19 first-time medalists - a total that ranks second in school history behind the 21 at the 2008 Beijing Games
  • If Stanford was a country in the 2024 Games, it would have finished tied with Canada for 11th place
  • Boasting a school-record 59 Olympians with Cardinal ties, Stanford won at least 20 medals for the sixth time in school history (2020, 2016, 2008, 1996, 1924)
  • The Cardinal’s 59 Olympians (20 male, 39 female) represented 14 countries across 20 varsity sports
  • In addition to the 59 qualifiers, Stanford’s Olympic representation also included five alternates (including Jane Campbell with the U.S. Women's National Team), one national team head coach and three national team assistant coaches
  • For the third straight Olympics, Stanford totaled more Team USA selections (37) than any other school, reinforcing its status as the preeminent training ground for U.S. national team competition
  • Stanford has won 128 medals combined over the last five Summer Games
  • All told, Stanford’s affiliates have captured 335 overall medals (162 gold, 93 silver, 80 bronze) from 196 medalists, and the Cardinal has produced at least one medalist in every Olympics in which the U.S. has competed since 1912