STANFORD, Calif. – Taking the pitch without six players who are currently with national teams as part of the 2026 U-20 World Cup, No. 1 Stanford showed its depth by defeating visiting No. 17 UCLA by a score of 3-0 on Thursday night from Cagan Stadium.
The Cardinal improved to 4-0-0 on the season, while UCLA dropped to 1-2-1 on the year.
Junior Bella Winn, who transferred into the program after two seasons at UCLA, contributed the game-winner in the 21st minute with a spectacular goal. Winn settled a loose ball that was pinging around the UCLA defense with her thigh before volleying a left-footed shot past UCLA goalkeeper Daphne Nakfoor into the back of the net.
The Cardinal wasted no time extending the lead, winning a free kick in their attacking zone and converting on the opportunity in the 24th minute. Freshman Sadie Leal-Schuman, who assisted on Winn’s goal, delivered a perfect ball toward Brooke Holden who headed home her second goal of the season to make it 2-0 Cardinal.
The two-goal lead held until the 82nd minute when Charlotte Kohler delivered the dagger with her fourth goal in the first four matches. Jaden Thomas played the ball into the box for the Cardinal where Winn dropped a one-touch pass to freshman Peyton Marinos. Marinos took one dribble before laying off a pass to Kohler cutting near the top of the box. Meeting the pass in stride, Kohler slotted her left-footed shot to the near post for the goal.
Making her first career start for the Cardinal, goalkeeper Rhiannon Stewart turned in a clean sheet with two saves – including a diving stop to secure the shutout in the 72nd minute.
Stanford finished the match with an 18-5 advantage in shots as Nakfoor was credited with eight saves for the Bruins.
The Cardinal will remain at home on Sunday, welcoming Cal State Fullerton to Cagan Stadium for a 1 p.m. kickoff.
MATCH NOTES:
- The Cardinal is 12-5-2 all-time against UCLA at home and 16-10-3 overall under UCLA alum Paul Ratcliffe
- Stanford owns a 137-7-10 record at Cagan Stadium since the start of the 2014 season … has won 19 straight matches at home dating back to the 2024 season
- The Cardinal is 71-8-10 over its last 89 matches and has managed a clean sheet in 45 of its last 85 contests, including each of its four matches this year … has managed a clean sheet in each of its first four matches for the first time since recording a shutout in the first nine of the 2014 campaign … has outscored the opposition 76-17 over its last 21 matches ... went 7-2-1 against ranked opponents a year ago, including 3-0-0 at home, and is 2-0-0 so far this season
- Charlotte Kohler has scored in all four matches this season, and is the first Cardinal to score in four straight since Jasmine Aikey managed the feat from November 21 to December 5, 2025 … has contributed on six of Stanford’s 12 goals this season (4 goals, 2 assists) ... has managed 44 goal contributions in her career (21 goals, 23 assists)
- Sadie Leal-Schuman contributed a pair of assists for the first time in her career … is the first Cardinal to have a pair of assists in a match since Charlotte Kohler had two against No. 9 Michigan State on November 28, 2025 … has at least one assist in back-to-back matches
- Bella Winn has scored in back-to-back matches … compiled a goal and an assist in Thursday’s victory