Liv MartinLiv Martin
Lyndsay Radnedge / ISI Photos
Field Hockey

Cardinal Falls in Road ACC Opener

Martin and O'Grady tally as Stanford falls to No. 11 Virginia, 5-2

Box Score

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — A pair of tallies bookended a frantic first half, but a second-half surge from the hosts saw the Stanford field hockey team suffer its first road loss of the season as the Cardinal fell to No. 11 Virginia on Friday night, 5-2. 

"We played three great quarters tonight," said Susan Ewing York Director of Women's Field Hockey Roz Ellis. "We had beautiful off-ball movement and connection. However, we need to be better at sticking to our plan through adversity."

Jenny O’Grady and Liv Martin found the back of the cage for the Cardinal on Friday with the latter securing her first goal of the season, while the former notched one goal closer to tying for the team lead with her fifth of the campaign. Between the posts, Anya Jackson nabbed eight saves on 21 shots faced, earning seven or more saves for the fourth time this season. 

Stanford (7-3, 0-2 ACC) opened the scoring in what was a frantic first half for both sides, snatching the game-opening goal just moments after denying it on the other end. With Anya Jackson making a daunting save on a Cavaliers penalty corner, Stanford went the other way immediately, capitalizing on a quick restart as O’Grady knifed through the defense before rifling a shot past the Virginia (6-3, 2-2 ACC) goalkeeper to open the scoring five minutes into the contest. 

However, the Cavaliers found the next two tallies, answering the game-opening goal with a penalty corner conversion late in the first quarter to bring the sides level into the quarter break. UVA then doubled-down early in the second, scoring on a deflection in front to take the lead, 2-1. 

Stanford, though, would not go away quietly, tying the game halfway through the second quarter on a penalty corner. Off the inject, Mia Clark slotted a shot to the far post where Liv Martin tipped the ball past a defender and into a yawning cage to bring the Cardinal level.

Though both sides traded attacks late in the half, neither side could find the breakthrough as the game hit the halftime break in a 2-2 deadlock. 

Looking to head back out in front, Stanford owned the lion’s share of possession in the third quarter, before earning the best chance to retake the lead halfway through the frame. On a quick rush, Liv Martin found herself alone in front of the UVA net but could not slice one through the goalkeeper as the score remained tied. Just moments later, Esther Pottebaum denied the Cavaliers from taking the lead with a timely challenge to keep the scoreline level. 

However, the Cavaliers eventually negated the stout Stanford pressure, securing their second penalty corner conversion of the evening as a shorthanded Stanford penalty corner defense could not fight off the first chance on the corner. 

With the hosts taking a one-goal lead into the final frame, Stanford continued to battle the Cavaliers for every ball. Though the hosts found a counterattacking tally five minutes into the fourth, the Cardinal still pressed while Jackson secured the backline. Unfortunately, for the Cardinal, a late-frame tally brought the Cavaliers lead to three as Stanford could not secure a comeback bid, falling 5-2. 

Stanford is back in action on Sunday, October 4 to round out its first Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) road trip against No. 16 Louisville. First strike against the Cardinals from Trager Stadium in Louisville, Ky. is slated for Noon ET / 9 a.m. PT.