Stanford Goal CelebrationStanford Goal Celebration
Alexandra Medina
Field Hockey

Down Goes No. 3 Duke

Bea Varley's overtime winner sends Stanford past No. 3 Blue Devils, 3-2

Box Score

STANFORD, Calif. — Bea Varley’s overtime winner and Anya Jackson’s 10 saves catapulted the Stanford field hockey team to its highest win in over 25 years as the Cardinal knocked off No. 3 Duke on Friday night, 3-2. With the win, Stanford ties its highest-ever ranked win in program history and the highest win since an unranked Cardinal squad defeated No. 3 Michigan State at home on Aug. 31, 2001, 2-1. 

“It was their mindset yesterday and into today that did it for us,” said Susan Ewing York Director of Women’s Field Hockey Roz Ellis. “They believed they could do it and they put their trust into each other tonight and that was the difference.”

Varley’s second goal of the season just over a minute into the final frame highlighted a stellar offensive effort for the Cardinal from the early going until the final whistle. With the common theme of the Cardinal being strong starts this season, Stanford (8-4, 1-3 ACC) answered the bell immediately during Friday’s contest amassing the game-opening goal 56 seconds into the match. 

With the Cardinal earning a penalty corner, thanks to a forced foul in the box, Stanford’s attacking penalty corner unit got its first chance of the night. Entering Friday having gone 8-for-46, Mia Clark increased the Cardinal APC tally by one with her first goal of the season, rifling a shot from just inside the circle past the Duke (9-3, 4-1 ACC) defense to put Stanford ahead, 1-0. 

With the Clark tally serving as the lone scoring in the frame, Stanford’s defense showed strong through the remainder of the first half, limiting the Blue Devils to one shot in the second quarter after Jackson had stopped a perfect 6-for-6 in the first quarter. However, the lone Blue Devils shot on goal during the frame came from a penalty stroke as Jackson guessed correctly on the spot attempt, but could not deflect it away from the cage as the visitors leveled the scoreline, 1-1 with five minutes remaining until halftime. 

Though neither side was able to find the netting in to end the first half, Duke blazed through in the third quarter, outshooting the Cardinal 6-2. Though Stanford’s defense held strong, Duke took its lone lead of the game on a Stanford turnover midway through the third quarter, slotting ahead off an Alaina McVeigh tally by a score of 2-1. 

The Cardinal, though, continued to battle and keep the Blue Devils at bay, stopping all four penalty corner attempts for Duke during the frame as Jackson took nine saves into the final quarter. 

With one quarter remaining in the weekend opener, Stanford found the equalizer from one of its unsung heroes as Puja Nanjappa became the 13th Cardinal to tally this season, capitalizing on a feed from Varley near the byline that ricochet off a defender and past the Duke goalkeeper to level the scoreline, 2-2. Though both sides continued to press, Nanjappa’s first of the season stood as the lone tally in the frame as the match headed into overtime. 

“Anything is possible,” said Ellis. “When we fight together and when we believe in each other we can take down anyone. It’s anyone’s game.”

In the extra frame, Stanford bookended the action with chances on both sides going the way of the Cardinal. Just under a minute into the overtime period, Anya Jackson made her 10th and final save of the night to negate a golden-goal victory for the visitors. On the other end, Stanford pounced on a quick restart with Gemma Townsend knifing her way through the Duke defense before finding Varley alone in front, sending a pass to the junior who one-timed a shot past the Duke goalkeeper and into the cage to secure the 3-2 upset win for the Cardinal. 

Stanford is back in action for another ranked test this weekend, hosting No. 8 Wake Forest on Sunday, October 11. First strike from Varsity Turf for Stanford’s Fan Appreciation Day is slated for noon PT.