STANFORD, Calif. – Leading 1-0 at halftime, No. 13 Stanford scored three second-half goals to run away with a 4-1 victory over visiting NC State in ACC play on Thursday night from Cagan Stadium.
With the victory, Stanford improved to 10-3-2 overall, including 4-3-1 in the ACC. NC State dropped to 10-5-2 and 3-5-1 in the conference.
Lily Freer’s first career goal, the first of three for Stanford in the second half, proved to be the match winner and came in the 52nd minute. Freer punched home a loose ball off a Stanford corner kick after NC State goalkeeper Amor Leigh Martin Esteban leapt but could not secure the ball in from Charlotte Kohler.
Junior Eleanor Klinger managed her third career brace in the victory, scoring the opening goal in the 45th minute after subbing on in the 31st. Freshman Ale Munneke helped key the opportunity, putting pressure on the NC State defense and forcing a long clearance attempt. Sophomore midfielder Y-Lan Nguyen won the ball off the clearance and flicked it toward goal as the final seconds ticked down on the opening stanza. The ball took a high bounce and skipped toward the penalty spot where Klinger slid and chipped the ball over the keeper and into the back of the net.
Klinger would ultimately tack on the fourth and final goal for the Cardinal in the 83rd minute when she received a through ball from senior Erica Grilione, cut back and slotted her right-footed shot to the back post.
Trailing 2-0 following Freer’s goal, NC State briefly cut the deficit to one on a goal from Mana Nakata in the 67th minute, but Charlotte Kohler quickly responded with her eighth of the season in the 69th minute to regain all the momentum. Mia Bhuta provided the assist on the goal, sending a ball toward the back post where Kohler lunged to poke it into the net.
After matching her existing career high with six saves at No. 2 North Carolina last week, Stanford goalkeeper Caroline Birkel set a new standard with seven saves in the victory over NC State on Thursday night.
The Cardinal will conclude the home portion of the regular-season slate on Sunday when it welcomes No. 9 Notre Dame to The Farm for a 1 p.m. kickoff.
MATCH NOTES:
- Stanford improved to 3-0 against NC State in program history … is 77-11-12 over its last 100 matches … has outscored the opposition 100-28 over its last 32 matches … played 21 different players in the victory
- The Cardinal owns a 141-8-11 record at Cagan Stadium since the start of the 2014 season
- Lily Freer scored her first career goal in her 39th career match played … had an assist vs. Virginia Tech on October 9 last season for her only other career point
- Eleanor Klinger had previously managed braces against USC (September 4, 2025) and BYU (November 24, 2025) … has now scored four goals this season
- Charlotte Kohler has scored in eight of the 15 matches this season and has a point in 11 of the 15 ... has contributed on 14 of Stanford’s 36 goals this year while totaling a team-high 22 points (8 goals, 6 assists) ... has managed 52 goal contributions in her career (25 goals, 27 assists)