In what was a rainy Friday night match, Stanford women’s soccer (1-1, 0-1 Pac-12) lost to Oregon (2-0-1, 1-0 Pac-12) by a final score of 1-2. This marks the first loss for the Cardinal within the conference since 2016.
The scoring started with Oregon senior forward Eden Hardy, who slotted in a far-corner goal in the 23rd minute.
Early in the second half, the Ducks sunk in another shot. Oregon sophomore forward Ally Cook tapped in a ball from within the box in the 64th minute, putting the Ducks up by two early in the second.
At this point, after the result of last week’s game against Pepperdine, no one doubted the ability of Stanford to find two goals. However as the clock began to run down, Stanford was unable to get any real opportunities on goal.
With 10 seconds left, Stanford sent in a flying ball, allowing junior forward Civana Kuhlmann to pick up a consolation goal. Play ended one second later with an Oregon victory.
Notable shot opportunities from Stanford include two from sophomore midfielder Sierra Enge in the beginning of the second half, both drilled into the hands of the opposing keeper.
Stanford sophomore goalkeeper Katie Meyer, in combination with freshman defender Julia Leontini, saved a dangerous shot in the 63rd minute before allowing a goal in the 64th. Unfortunately, Leontini was then escorted off the field by trainers with what looked like a slight knock.
Altogether, Oregon came to test Stanford’s backline with a high press, and it seemed to work. The Ducks defense swarmed the Cardinal in the final third and forced shots to the keeper’s hands.
Although Stanford gained steam in the second half, it was not enough to get past the speed and setup of the newly coached Oregon team. The Cardinal finished the match with 13 shots on goal, only five of which made it on target. This was compared to Oregon’s five shots on goal, four of which were on frame.
In a stunning upset, Oregon has put the nation on alert for what could be a promising season for the Ducks.
What’s next for the Cardinal?
Stanford will play Oregon State this Sunday at 3 p.m. PT. Stanford hopes to win this fixture, having beaten Oregon State last season 2-0. Stanford has won 19 out of 20 matches against the Beavers in the history of their duels.
The two goals in their most recent matchup came from Sophia Smith and Catarina Macario, players that have since turned pro. Stanford will need to start strong, not allowing Oregon State to dominate the play in the first 15.
Another necessity will be putting more shots on goal. For a team that had 102 goals last season, the current roster seems to struggle getting off shots.
The matchup can be watched Sunday, here.