STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford scored three goals in the first 11 minutes of play, and added one in the first minute of the second half, to record a 4-0 shutout over Syracuse on Sunday afternoon from Cagan Stadium.
The shutout was the third consecutive clean sheet for the Cardinal, which improved to 9-1-1 overall and 3-0-1 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Syracuse dropped to 4-5-4 overall, including 0-4-1 in the ACC.
Stanford wasted no time opening the scoring, tallying a goal just 55 seconds into the match as Eleanor Klinger sent a ball down the left sideline for Jasmine Aikey. Aikey sprinted forward and sent a cross to the back post where Andrea Kitahata one-timed it home for her seventh goal of the season.
Klinger made it 2-0 in the eighth minute, registering another spectacular goal as she backheeled a cross from Allie Montoya into the back corner of the net for her fourth goal of the year.
The Cardinal turned in another world-class goal in the 11th minute to run the tally to 3-0 as Elise Evans ran down a ball with her back to goal, spun and crossed it back toward the back post where Montoya one-timed a volley just under the crossbar for the goal. The tally was Montoya’s sixth of the season.
Coming out of the halftime break, Aikey put the finishing touches on the scoring with her team-best ninth goal of the year in the 46th minute. Much like Evans on the previous goal, Charlotte Kohler flipped a cross into the box off a loose ball, finding the head of Shae Harvey. The junior popped her header toward goal where Aikey chested it down and flicked it past Syracuse goalkeeper Shea Vanderbosch for the goal.
Vanderbosch was credited with six saves in the loss for Syracuse – with her second of the afternoon making her the all-time saves leader in program history.
The Cardinal used two goalkeepers in the shutout, as Caroline Birkel worked the first half and made one save. Alyssa Savig clinched the clean sheet with four saves in the second half.
Stanford will have a bye week next week, returning to action on Thursday, October 9 when it welcomes Virginia Tech to The Farm.
GAME NOTES:
- The Cardinal has scored at least three goals in eight of the first 11 matches of the year … 44 combined goals over the 11 matches are the most since scoring 48 in the first 11 of 2017
- Stanford is averaging a national-best 27.09 shots per game, having posted at least 20 in nine of the first 11 matches, and leads the nation in scoring offense (4.00 goals per game) … has reached 30 shots in three straight matches, and 36 shots in back-to-back matches
- Stanford has scored 13 goals in the first 15 minutes of a match this year, including six in the first 10 and four within five minutes of kickoff … the Cardinal has also been quick coming out for the second half, collecting nine goals in the first 15 minutes, and four in the first 10 minutes, of the second-half whistle
- Stanford has conceded just seven goals so far this season, has posted six shutouts, including three straight, and has managed a clean sheet in 38 of its last 67 contests overall
- The Cardinal owns a 127-7-10 record at Cagan Stadium since the start of the 2014 season
- Jasmine Aikey has contributed at least a point in nine of the first 11 matches this season … has a goal in seven of the 11 contests this season ... leads the team in total points with 22 (team-high nine goals and four assists) and has contributed three game-winners … has a goal and an assist in each of her last two matches, and has managed the feat five times in her career
- Andrea Kitahata has a point in 10 of the 11 matches this year ... has scored in four straight contests, and five of the last six overall ... ranks second on the team in points with 20 (seven goals and six assists)
- Eleanor Klinger managed a goal and an assist in a match for the first time in her career
- Allie Montoya scored in each of Stanford's first four matches, and has contributed at least one point in eight of the first 11 contests this year ... has scored six goals and added five assists to manage 17 points