STANFORD, Calif. — Star Horlock’s three-point night and a stout defensive outing provided the difference as the Cardinal Field Hockey team secured a win on Senior Night, dispatching No. 17 Cal in the regular season finale, 2-1. With the win, Stanford ends the regular season with a 2-6 record in the Atlantic Coast Conference while boasting a 7-3 record at Varsity Turf.
“It just speaks to the growth of this class and the work that they have put in to transform this program,” said Susan Ewing York Director of Women’s Field Hockey Roz Ellis. “To get their last win at home is a cherry on top for their career at Stanford.”
The Senior Night spark was lit early on Thursday as a pair of Cardinal seniors combined to open the scoring just over two minutes in. With a nifty corral at the halfway line, Star Horlock knifed a pass through the Golden Bears defense, finding a streaking Gemma Townsend who slotted a 1-on-1 chance past the Cal (9-7, 2-6 ACC) goalkeeper to give Stanford a 1-0 lead.
THE PASS -> THE GOAL!!😮💨 What a tag team effort from Gemma and Star! 📺: ACCNX https://t.co/s0yagXzowI
— Stanford Field Hockey (@StanfordFH) October 30, 2026
Though Stanford (10-7, 2-6 ACC) capitalized on its one chance during the frame, Anya Jackson stymied the Bears in one shot against, keeping the Cardinal ahead by one into the quarter break.
The Cardinal continued as the aggressor in the second quarter, immediately charging toward the Cal cage. Though the Cardinal mustered just two shots toward the goal, Stanford capitalized on the game’s first penalty corner opportunity to double the lead.
On a Horlock inject, the Cardinal funneled the ball up to Natalie Hoppe who found Horlock back along the near post. Looking for the senior’s stick, Hoppe’s pass made its way onto the stick of Horlock who swiped it into the cage, doubling the Cardinal lead on a goal that was upheld with under five to go in the frame. Defensively, Stanford held firm with Jackson securing the shutout through 30 minutes of action as Stanford took a two-goal lead into the halftime break.
HEY HEY PCA!!!! Star said TIP DRILL!!!🤯 📺: ACCNX https://t.co/1o2zy6iCwV
— Stanford Field Hockey (@StanfordFH) October 30, 2026
However, Cal snuck back into the match early in the third, capitalizing on one of its eventual seven corners in the frame. Having stopped the initial inject, Jackson could not secure the rebound as Cal’s Liz Klompmaker brought the Golden Bears within one just over two minutes into the second half.
However, Stanford’s penalty corner defense stymied the Golden Bears for the remainder of the frame including three stops at the expiration of the frame. Barring the penalty corner rebound tally from Klompmaker, the Cardinal earned six successful penalty clearances, taking a one-goal lead into the fourth quarter in the process.
“Our PCD was so brave today,” said Ellis. “We used a corner unit we haven’t done in a while that takes a lot of bravery and they executed it well. Esther Pottebaum did an exceptional job marking Liz [Klompmaker] which was an amazing defensive shift from her.”
In the fourth, Stanford did well to negate any pressure from the Bears, limiting the visitors to just one shot on frame which Jackson was equal to for her sixth save of the night. With time winding down and the Cal cage empty, Stanford continued to pester the Bears’ offense with stout defensive shape, closing the door on a late-game comeback to secure the 2-1 win on Senior Night.
“I am really proud of Anya tonight for all the shots she faced,” said Ellis. “They had some real class shots on goal and she was there every time to keep us in it.”
Stanford now awaits its postseason fate following the conclusion of the final three ACC conference games yet to be played on Friday, October 30. Stanford needs a win by Boston College over Syracuse to secure the final spot in the ACC Field Hockey Tournament in a game that is slated for 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT.