STANFORD, Calif. – Seniors Mia Bhuta and Erica Grilione each scored a goal as No. 10 Stanford defeated California 3-1 on Senior Night from Cagan Stadium on Friday.
The Cardinal, which honored Bhuta, Grilione and graduate student Rhiannon Stewart in a pregame ceremony, improved to 9-2-2 overall with the victory, including 3-2-1 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. California fell to 4-5-5 overall and 1-3-2 in the ACC.
Bhuta got the scoring started in the ninth minute as freshman Ella Kral sent a cross through the box from the right side of the attack that was initially deflected away by California goalkeeper Alyssa Savig. The ball dribbled out to junior Charlotte Kohler who had her shot blocked by a Golden Bear defender, but Bhuta was there for a left-footed one-timer on the rebound that found the back of the net.
The goal was Bhuta’s first of the season and the fifth of her career.
With the final seconds ticking away in the first half, Grilione snuck her third goal of the year in at the buzzer to make it 2-0 Cardinal headed into the break. Stanford earned a free kick just inside its attacking half and Y-Lan Nguyen delivered a ball in with five seconds on the clock. The ball pinged around in the box, including taking a touch off Bhuta’s head, and Grilione hammered home a left-footed volley that just crossed over the line before the horn sounded.
Wasting no time extending the lead in the second half, Krall intercepted a pass near midfield and dribbled on goal toward Savig. Savig, who played three seasons with the Cardinal and earned her Stanford degree before transferring to Cal for the 2026 campaign, came charging to the top of the box but was unable to deny the freshman who skipped her shot in from distance and notched her second goal of the year.
Despite allowing three Cardinal goals on the night, Savig made a handful of stellar saves to finish with eight overall. Stanford goalkeeper Caroline Birkel was credited with one save while allowing one goal – a 65th minute header from Malia McMahon on Cal corner kick that put the first blemish on her stat line this season.
Stanford will be back on the road next week in ACC play, traveling to No. 1 North Carolina on Friday, October 23 for a 3 p.m. match that will be broadcast live on ACC Network.
MATCH NOTES:
- The Cardinal is 17-7-3 at home against California and improved to 28-13-6 all-time against the Golden Bears
- Stanford is 76-10-12 over its last 98 matches and has outscored the opposition 96-26 over its last 30 contests … owns a 140-8-11 record at Cagan Stadium since the start of the 2014 season
- Mia Bhuta managed a goal and an assist in Friday’s victory, marking the first time in her career that she has tallied at least a goal and an assist in the same match
- Charlotte Kohler contributed an assist and has a point in 10 of 13 matches this season ... has contributed on 13 of Stanford’s 32 goals this year while totaling a team-high 20 points (7 goals, 6 assists) ... has managed 51 goal contributions in her career (24 goals, 27 assists)