An early goal made all the difference as No. 7 Stanford women’s soccer (13-2-1, 6-1 Pac-12) topped Oregon (4-6-5, 2-4-1 Pac-12) by a score of 1-0. The goal — a sixth-minute strike by freshman forward Lumi Kostmayer — was the freshman’s 10th of the season, the most of any Cardinal.

Following the only goal of the match, the game came to a lull as Stanford patiently played the ball around the back, searching for an opening. It wasn’t until the 25th minute that the Ducks secured their first — and only — shot of the half.

As the half progressed, the high press of the first minutes fell and the pace further slowed. Still, the Cardinal ended the half with a fairly dominant performance — 12 shots and four corners.

Despite an additional 20 shots throughout the second half, Stanford continued to struggle to finish. Frustrated with the slow progress, the Cardinal’s shots became increasingly off-target.

In the meantime, the Ducks began to gain momentum. While they only accumulated a mere three shots throughout the match, Oregon began to possess and find a rhythm, leading to some dangerous opportunities. 

In the end, the Cardinal’s commanding presence on the field allowed them to take control and come out with the 1-0 win. Stanford is back in action on Sunday in Corvallis, Ore. as they take on Oregon State (4-8-3, 0-6-1 Pac-12). Kickoff is to begin at 12 p.m. PT.