STORRS, Conn. – No. 9 Stanford made program history Friday when it defeated No. 2 Connecticut 3-1, earning its first victory against the Huskies and knocking off its highest-ranked opponent ever.
The Cardinal (9-1, 1-0 NorPac) overcame an early deficit to defeat its first opponent ranked in the top-two in program history. The highest ranked opponent Stanford had beaten prior to Friday’s victory was No. 3 Michigan State back on Aug. 31, 2001.
Stanford was efficient against the defending national champion Huskies (6-2, 0-0 Big East), scoring three times on four shots. Alex McCawley, Katie Keyser and Clemence Couteau scored a goal apiece, while Maddie Secco and Elise Ogle contributed assists.
The Cardinal defense was excellent, routinely stepping up in plays to intercept passes and prevent possible Connecticut scoring opportunities. Dulcie Davies, a science, technology and society major, made three saves in goal, including one in the final five minutes of regulation on a penalty corner while Stanford was a player down.
Stanford has held opponents to one or fewer goals in all 10 games this season.
Stanford after its 3-1 win at No. 2 Connecticut.
The Cardinal faced an early deficit when Connecticut’s Charlotte Veitner received a pass from Chrissy Davidson and fired it into the back of the goal in the eighth minute to take a 1-0 lead.
Stanford remained poised and responded with offensive pressure of its own in the following minutes.
McCawley, an international relations major, knotted the game at 1-1 in the 25th minute when she took a pass on the right side of the cage from Secco, a human biology major, and knocked it into the goal. It was McCawley’s team-leading eighth goal on the year.
Stanford took the lead just before halftime at 34:09 when Ogle, a communication major, intercepted a pass in Connecticut’s defensive zone and led a 2-on-0 with Keyser. Ogle carried ball into the circle and drew the Huskies’ goalkeeper off the goal line. She fed a nice pass to Keyser on the left side of the cage, who fired a shot into the roof of the goal.
It was Keyser’s second goal on the year and gave Stanford the momentum and lead heading into halftime.
Couteau, a human biology major, stretched Stanford’s advantage to 3-1 in the 44th minute when she knocked in a loose ball sitting in the center of the semicircle. Couteau has scored three goals on four shots this season.
Stanford fought off one final scoring opportunity by Connecticut when Kelsey Harbin received a green card at 65:33. The Huskies earned a penalty corner and fired a shot on goal that Davies turned aside.
The Cardinal will look to carry its momentum into Sunday’s matchup against Yale at 9 a.m. (PT).
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Notes: Friday’s victory over No. 2 Connecticut was Stanford’s first win over the Huskies in program history … No. 2 Connecticut is the highest ranked opponent Stanford has ever defeated … the previous highest ranked opponent the Cardinal had defeated was No. 3 Michigan State on Aug. 31, 2001 … Stanford’s victory over Connecticut was the Huskies first loss at home since Oct. 6, 2013 … Stanford scored three times on four shots … The Cardinal has held opponents to one goal or fewer in all 10 games this year … Katie Keyser has scored two goals this year – both have been game-winners … Clemence Couteau has scored three goals on four shots this season … Alex McCawley has recorded a goal in four of her past six games and has at least one point in seven of 10 games this season … Stanford holds advantages against opponents in shots (104-58), penalty corners (46-28) and goals (25-5).
