Oregon State drops women’s soccer to 0-2 in Pac-12 play

Feb. 28, 2021, 9:10 p.m.

Stanford (1-2, 0-2 Pac-12) women’s soccer lost its second match in a row, dropping a 1-2 result to Oregon State (2-2, 1-2 Pac-12) Sunday afternoon, leaving the Cardinal winless in the Pac-12 after a tough weekend in Oregon. 

Despite taking home a loss, Stanford started the match off well, scoring the first goal off of a penalty kick. In the 26th minute, a foul on Oregon State sophomore defender Madison Ellsworth allowed Stanford freshman forward Samantha Williams to put the Cardinal up by one. It was her first career goal. 

Going into the half, the game looked promising for Stanford, with multiple players, including sophomore midfielder Maya Doms, racking up shots on goal and creating opportunities up the middle. Stanford carried its 1-0 lead into halftime. 

Coming into the second half, Oregon State junior forward McKenzie Weinert tied up the game with a 54th-minute goal. A relatively calm second half saw more shots on goal from the Cardinal and excellent defense from the Beavers. 

In the 83rd minute, Stanford nearly sealed the game as Oregon State junior keeper Bridgette Skiba was caught off her line. However, a superb defensive header from Oregon State senior midfielder Kaillen Fried prevented the ball from crossing the goal line, leaving the scoreline tied. 

Seconds later, Oregon State made a quick break toward the goal. To seal the game, sophomore midfielder Abby Schwartz tapped in a shot after the Stanford defense failed to clear the box. 

Although the Cardinal started out strong getting more shots on goal, its defensive efforts lacked, often leaving redshirt sophomore keeper Katie Meyer to pick up the slack. Passing from both teams was relatively inconsistent and Stanford struggled to clear the box. 

The final tally for shots on goal was 15 for Stanford and six for Oregon State. If Stanford plans to make another run for the championship, it will need to finish off the opportunities it is creating. 

Next up for the Cardinal is Utah on Friday. Kick-off is set for 3 p.m. PT.

Jenna Ruzekowicz is a staff writer in the sports section. She is a sophomore from Syracuse, New York majoring in Computer Science. Her teams include: Portland Thorns, Arsenal and Man City. Contact her at jruzekowicz 'at' stanforddaily.com.

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