STANFORD, Calif. – In a battle of top-five teams, No. 3 Stanford (11-1-1, 5-0-1 ACC) came out victorious with a 2-1 win over No. 1 Virginia (10-1-2, 4-1-1 ACC) on Sunday from a sold-out Cagan Stadium.
The ranked-victory was the third of the season for Stanford after previously defeating No. 16 Santa Clara and No. 6 USC. Sunday’s win was also the first over a top-five opponent since defeating No. 2 North Carolina on October 13, 2024, and the first over a top-ranked foe since knocking off No. 1 UCLA on October 14, 2022.
Senior Jasmine Aikey got the scoring started with a spectacular bicycle-kick goal in the 27th minute. Mia Bhuta delivered the ball in on a corner kick before a header from Lizzie Boamah was blocked and sent looping back toward the top of the box. Turning her back to goal, Aikey raised her right foot and cycled her shot toward the back post for her team-leading 11th goal of the year.
Sophomore Charlotte Kohler turned in what proved to be the game-winner in the 37th minute as she took a shot that was stopped by a defender on the goal line for a team save. Staying on the attack, Boamah ran down the rebound and sent in a left-footed cross where Kohler rose above her defender and headed her shot past Virginia goalkeeper Victoria Safradin for her fifth goal of the seson.
Safradin was credited with three saves in goal for Virginia.
Virginia did manage to cut the deficit to 2-1 in the 72nd minute as Jill Flammia unleashed a rocket of a right-footed shot from the top of the box for the goal.
Despite trailing in both shots (13-12) and corner kicks (8-6), Stanford managed the victory in large part due to stellar goalkeeping from freshman Caroline Birkel. Birkel was credited with three saves in the win, including a brilliant diving effort to keep the match scoreless in the 12th minute.
The Cardinal will now prepare for another ranked opponent, as it travels to No. 5 Florida State on Thursday for a 4 p.m. PT kickoff.
GAME NOTES:
- Stanford’s 51 combined goals over the 12 matches are the most since scoring 54 in the first 13 of 2017
- The Cardinal owns a 57-7-9 overall record over its last 73 matches
- The Cardinal owns a 129-7-10 record at Cagan Stadium since the start of the 2014 season … is 9-0-0 at home so far this season and is outscoring opponents 38-3 in those matches
- With the addition of Lizzie Boamah following an assist on Sunday, 17 players have factored into points this year for Stanford
- Jasmine Aikey has contributed at least a point in 11 of the first 13 matches this season … has scored in each of the last four matches, and has a goal in nine of the 13 contests this season ... leads the team in total points with 26 (team-high 11 goals and four assists)
- Charlotte Kohler has contributed at least a point in nine of the first 13 matches this season and has contributed three game-winners