STANFORD, Calif. – Top-ranked Stanford surrendered a goal in the first minute of play on Friday, but responded with a pair of first-half goals, and one within the first minute of the second half, to record a 3-1 victory over Cal Poly in the NCAA Tournament first round from Cagan Stadium.
With the victory, Stanford improves to 17-1-2 on the season, while Cal Poly’s year ends at 10-3-9.
Making good on its first opportunity of the match, Cal Poly mounted an attack down the right flank where Madelyn Dougherty sent a cross in and found the head of Jessie Halladay for her 10th goal of the season just 49 seconds into the match.
Unphased by the early blow, Stanford responded with the equalizer in the seventh minute when Shae Harvey volleyed her shot home from the top of the 18 after Mia Bhuta’s ball in was punched away by Mustangs goalkeeper Shannon Porubski. The goal was Harvey’s fifth of the season.
Returning from injury, junior Joelle Jung contributed what proved to be the game-winner in the 37th minute when she received a pass from Andrea Kitahata and put her shot on frame from 30 yards out and just out of the reach of Porubski. For Jung, the goal was her fourth of the season.
Emerging from the halftime break carrying a 2-1 lead, Stanford quickly added one more on Charlotte Kohler’s 10th of the season just 47 seconds into the second stanza. Eleanor Klinger played a header across the box for Jasmine Aikey, but Porubski was there to make the initial save. The ball trickled out toward the penalty spot and Kohler pounced on the rebound and quickly played it into the back of the net.
Freshman goalkeeper Caroline Birkel was credited with three saves for Stanford, while Porubski tallied seven – with all 10 goalkeeper saves coming in the second half.
The Cardinal will advance to the NCAA second round where it will host No. 8 seed Alabama on Friday at a time to be determined. Fifth-seed BYU will also make the trip to The Farm to play the winner of No. 4 seed UCLA and Pepperdine – a match slated for Saturday at 6 p.m.
GAME NOTES:
- The Cardinal is making its 34th NCAA Tournament appearance, including its 27th in the last 28 seasons … has compiled a 74-25-9 all-time record in NCAA Tournament play … has reached the second round in 27 of the 34 appearances
- Stanford opened the NCAA Tournament at home for the 24th time in program history and is a perfect 23-0-0 in first-round matches played at home (received a first-round bye in 1999) … is 59-4-5 all-time in postseason games hosted on The Farm, and has won 19 straight (last loss: 1-0 (2OT) vs. Santa Clara on November 18, 2016) ... is 47-1-2 over the last 50 postseason home games dating back to 2008
- The Cardinal has scored at least three goals in 14 of the 20 matches this year … 77 combined goals over the 20 matches are the second-most through 20 matches in program history (87 in the first 20 of the 2019 season)
- Stanford is averaging a national-best 22.75 shots per game, having posted at least 20 in 13 of the 20 matches, and leads the nation in scoring offense (3.85 goals per game)
- The Cardinal is 63-7-10 over its last 80 matches and is unbeaten in its last 13 matches (11-0-2)
- The Cardinal owns a 131-7-10 record at Cagan Stadium since the start of the 2014 season … is 11-0-0 at home so far this season and is outscoring opponents 46-5 in those matches
- Jasmine Aikey has contributed at least a point in 16 of the 20 matches this season … leads the team in total points with 39 (team-high 15 goals and nine assists)
- Shae Harvey has totaled 14 points in her last 10 matches
- Joelle Jung has a point in eight of her 16 matches played this year
- Charlotte Kohler has scored in three of her last four matches ... has managed at least a point in 16 of the 20 matches this season, including each of the last 10
- The Knowles Family Director of Women's Soccer Paul Ratcliffe owns a 63-15-6 record in postseason action while at Stanford, having guided the Cardinal to the NCAA Tournament in 22 of his 23 seasons