Men’s Soccer – The Stanford Daily https://stanforddaily.com Breaking news from the Farm since 1892 Tue, 07 Nov 2023 09:02:49 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://stanforddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/cropped-DailyIcon-CardinalRed.png?w=32 Men’s Soccer – The Stanford Daily https://stanforddaily.com 32 32 204779320 Slow starts cost men’s soccer over weekend https://stanforddaily.com/2023/11/06/slow-starts-cost-mens-soccer-over-weekend/ https://stanforddaily.com/2023/11/06/slow-starts-cost-mens-soccer-over-weekend/#respond Mon, 06 Nov 2023 09:36:01 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1235759 Despite a decisive 5-0 victory over San Diego State on Thursday, the Cardinal missed their goal of securing a Pac-12 Championship after shaky play against UCLA.

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This weekend, No. 19 Stanford men’s soccer (8-3-5, 2-2-5 Pac-12) competed in two big matchups against the San Diego State Aztecs (6-6-5, 0-6-3 Pac-12) on Thursday and the UCLA Bruins (7-3-5, 4-0-4 Pac-12) on Sunday. The Cardinal needed to win both games to keep their Pac-12 championship hopes alive, which would also secure them a guaranteed spot in the NCAA tournament. 

On Thursday night, Stanford started the weekend off on the right foot, securing a massive 5-0 victory against San Diego State. 

Coming into this game, Stanford’s last two matches were both 1-1 draws in which the Cardinal conceded goals first before equalizing late. This match almost started the same way, with SDSU having two huge scoring opportunities within the first three minutes. The Aztecs’ Terence Okoeguale found himself one-on-one against redshirt freshman goalkeeper Rowan Schnebly after a blistering counter-attack in the second minute. However, Schnebly’s quick reactions let him get his left hand up to block the shot. 

“As soon as I saw the ball go through [Zach Bohane’s] legs, I was like, ‘It’s my time to come out.’ And I just came out and got as big as I could, and fortunately it hit me in the left hand and went out for a corner,” Schnebly said. 

The Cardinal’s good luck wouldn’t end there. In the chaos of the ensuing corner, SDSU got off another shot, but this time the ball hit the crossbar.

“We gave up more chances than we normally do,” said head coach Jeremy Gunn. Our “keeper makes a huge save, and they hit the crossbar. But after that flurry from San Diego State, I thought we showed a lot of composure and played a really solid game.”

That composure in front of goal was quickly evident. The Cardinal only had four shots in the first 20 minutes (compared to the Aztecs’ seven), but were able to convert three of those into goals. In the 7th minute, redshirt sophomore midfielder Shane de Flores smashed one home after a cross was headed down in front of the SDSU goal. Then, less than 15 minutes later, sophomore midfielder Zach Bohane scored two in rapid succession. In the 19th minute, SDSU botched a clearance and Bohane picked up the scraps, burying the ball into the goal’s bottom corner. Then, just barely a minute later, de Flores was able to beat his man down the left side and put in a cutback cross that Bohane slotted past the Aztec goalkeeper. 

Even with a 3-0 lead, Stanford kept its foot on the gas. The Cardinal would dominate the rest of the game, outshooting the Aztecs 18-2 and putting two more goals on the board in the second half. In the 74th minute, sophomore midfielder Fletcher Bank took advantage of the Aztec goalkeeper’s mismanagement of redshirt senior midfielder Mark Fisher’s cross to put in Stanford’s fourth goal. This happened again in the 78th minute, with redshirt junior midfielder Connor Evans’ cross getting parried right to freshman forward Duncan Jarvie, who tacked on Stanford’s fifth goal. 

“The first time we played these guys it was a 0-0 tie, so we knew we had to get goals in,” said Bohane. “Five is definitely what we needed and what we’ve been working on all week in training.”

This win came at a critical time for the Cardinal’s regular season campaign. The win put Stanford five points behind conference leader UCLA, who they would face just three days later. 

“We’ve had a special rivalry with UCLA in the conference,” said Gunn. “They’ve got a very good team right now that’s playing exceptionally well … So it’s going to be a really, really tough game.”

The Cardinal needed victories on Sunday and in their last game against Cal (7-5-5, 3-3-3 Pac-12) — and for both UCLA and Oregon State (7-5-4, 4-1-4 Pac-12) to lose their final matches — to win the conference. 

“We’ve been working hard every day in practice,” Schnebly said ahead of the UCLA game.  “Everybody’s noses are pointed forward, and we’re ready to attack every single game, play one more game at a time.”

“There probably doesn’t need to be too much inspiration from the coach when you’re a player at this stage because it’s a really exciting time,” Gunn explained. “If we can get a win against UCLA, then it really puts pressure on them going into the last game of the season.”

However, on Sunday, things didn’t click for the Cardinal. Stanford suffered a demoralizing 3-1 loss to UCLA in their second game of the weekend, eliminating them from Pac-12 championship contention. 

For the second time in a row, Stanford had a shaky start to the game. But this time, Schnebly’s heroics couldn’t save them. Once again, barely three minutes after kickoff, UCLA’s graduate forward Jack Sarkos received the ball in Stanford’s penalty area and took a clean shot off the half turn; this time, the ball slotted past an outstretched Schnebly. 

While the Cardinal were able to settle into the game soon after, they struggled to overcome the early deficit. UCLA clogged up the middle of the field, making it difficult for Stanford to penetrate the lines. When they did make it forward, the Cardinal couldn’t seem to get the final pass right, with uncharacteristically misplaced passes and poor touches killing their pace. 

Even so, Stanford was still knocking on the door. In the 37th minute, the Cardinal were able to get a shot off from inside the UCLA box, but the UCLA goalkeeper got just enough of his right foot on the ball to deflect it over the crossbar. 

However, another slow start in the second half effectively put the game out of reach. In the 48th minute, UCLA’s redshirt junior forward Jose Contell was on the receiving end of a lofted forward pass and flicked the ball past Schnebly. Then, just five minutes later, Contell got the ball in Stanford’s box, took a touch to the left and fired it into the back of the net for his second. 

Down three, Stanford tried its best to rally back. Second-half substitutions brought more energy for the Cardinal, and they created multiple promising opportunities. Finally, in the 79th minute, senior defender Noah Adnan got on the end of a cross that found its way into the UCLA goal. 

But this would prove too little too late, as the Cardinal would ultimately fall 3-1. In a dramatic reversal of the SDSU game, Stanford would outshoot UCLA 16-6, but a clinical performance by the Bruins saw the Cardinal’s hopes for their twelfth conference championship dashed. 

Now, the Cardinal’s postseason fate lies entirely in the NCAA tournament selection committee, and they’ll have one last opportunity against Cal to earn themselves a spot. 

Stanford’s final regular season game will be against Cal on Saturday at Cagan Stadium. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. PT.

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This Week in Sports: Men’s water polo, women’s volleyball and soccer extend win streaks https://stanforddaily.com/2023/10/25/this-week-in-sports-mens-water-polo-womens-volleyball-and-soccer-extend-win-streaks/ https://stanforddaily.com/2023/10/25/this-week-in-sports-mens-water-polo-womens-volleyball-and-soccer-extend-win-streaks/#respond Thu, 26 Oct 2023 06:57:41 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1234534 Men's water polo won twice as women's volleyball extended their win streak to 11 and women's soccer remains undefeated.

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Men’s water polo 

No. 3 Stanford (13-5, 2-2 MPSF) scored a 13-11 victory over No. 8 Long Beach State (14-9, 1-2 SCC) on Thursday at Avery Aquatic Center. Stanford established a two-goal lead early in the first period that carried over the remainder of the game. Senior Riley Pittman was the leading scorer for the Cardinal with four goals on six shots. On Sunday, as the team celebrated Senior Day, Stanford beat No. 7 U.C. Davis (15-7, 3-0 Big West) at home. The senior class scored 10 of the team’s 17 goals — Ethan Parrish scored a career-high six goals, Pittman tallied two and Andrew Churukian and Soren Jensen added one each.

Women’s soccer

On Saturday, No. 5 women’s soccer (14-0-2, 7-0-1 Pac-12) defeated Oregon State (3-8-5, 0-6-2 Pac-12) 3-1 at Cagan Stadium. Fifth-year midfielder Maya Doms opened the Cardinal scoring in the ninth minute, assisted by redshirt sophomore Andrea Kitahata who was involved in all three Stanford goals. Kitahata assisted freshman midfielder Joelle Jung who put the ball into the back of the net for the second Cardinal goal. The Beavers managed to narrow the deficit before halftime, but Kitahata restored the two-goal margin in the 75th minute and the team maintained its 3-1 lead until the final whistle.

On Sunday, in Stanford’s annual Pink Match for breast cancer awareness, the Cardinal hosted Oregon (0-14-2, 0-8 Pac-12) and blanked the Ducks 2-0, keeping their undefeated record. In the ninth minute, sophomore midfielder Jasmine Aikey scored the opening goal after stealing the ball on an Oregon misplay. Graduate student defender Kennedy Wesley cemented Stanford’s victory in the 77th minute when Aikey bent a corner kick to the back post where Wesley ran the ball into the goal.

Men’s soccer

No. 17 Stanford (7-2-4, 1-1-4 Pac-12) cruised to a 4-0 home victory over Oregon State (6-5-3, 3-1-3 Pac-12). The Cardinal took the lead just 70 seconds after the kickoff when redshirt sophomore midfielder Shane de Flores headed the ball into the back of the net, his first of two goals in the half. In the second half, sophomore forward Liam Doyle and sophomore midfielder Will Cleary added two more goals for the Cardinal.

On Sunday, Stanford tied Washington (5-5-5, 2-3-2 Pac-12) 1-1 in Seattle thanks to a goal one minute before the final whistle. The battle between the two teams was close. However, the Cardinal launched 13 shots, including five on target while the Huskies had six with only one on goal. Stanford missed many chances in the first half, including when redshirt senior midfielder Mark Fisher’s shot hit the crossbar early in the game. Shortly after, a Stanford goal was called back.

Women’s lightweight rowing

At the prestigious Head of the Charles Regatta on Saturday, Stanford dominated the Lightweight Fours. The team, which was comprised of graduate student Emily Molins at stroke, sophomores Brooke Ruszkiewicz in the No. 3 seat, Juliette Lermusiaux at No. 2, Hannah Justicz in the bow and coxed by senior Lydia Garnett, took the lead from the gun and held it until the end, crossing the finish line in 18:42.795 — 16 seconds in front of runner-up Wisconsin. The Cardinal lifted the City of Cambridge Trophy for the first time since its inception in 1978.

Women’s rowing

On Sunday, also at the Head of the Charles regatta, defending national champion Stanford women’s rowing had a strong showing in the Women’s Championship Eights. The Cardinal entered the competition with two boats. Stanford’s A boat competed in the College-Championship division and earned seventh place in the 34 boat field with a time of 16:28.069. The B boat rowed in the Junior Varsity division and finished 14th overall with a time of 16:48.979, ahead of the A boats from Princeton, Duke and other strong rowing programs. 

Football

Stanford (2-5, 1-4 Pac-12) lost to No. 25 UCLA (5-2, 2-2 Pac-12) 42-7 on Saturday. The Cardinal trailed 0-21 at halftime and had no answers to the Bruins’ offense and defense. Freshman wide receiver Tiger Bachmeier scored the only Cardinal touchdown after a third-quarter 20-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Ashton Daniels. Bachmeier recorded a season-high eight catches.

Women’s golf

Friday through Sunday, Stanford hosted 19 teams at the 2023 Stanford Intercollegiate, presented by Condoleezza Rice, an event which raised over $260,000 for breast cancer research. In the team competition, the Cardinal were poised to take the lead entering the final day at -5, pulling to within two strokes of the lead. A Sunday charge, however, was not to be, as the team finished third at +2, 11 strokes behind winner USC. Two Stanford players shined in the individual competition. On Sunday, sophomore Kelly Xu matched her second round two-under par 69, including an eagle, to tie for third in the 100 player field, just two strokes behind winner Catherine Park from USC. It was Xu’s best finish of the year. Freshman Paula Martin Sampedro closed with an even-par 71, good for a tie for sixth place, her third top-10 finish in her initial three collegiate tournaments.

Women’s tennis

Stanford was well represented at the ITA Northwest Regionals held at Taube Family Tennis Stadium, with nine players that competed in singles and four doubles pairs. Junior Connie Ma, who won the event two years ago, was a runner up. Her battle against Cal’s Hannah Viller Moeller came down to the wire. Ma, who lost the first set 4-6, dominated the second set 6-1. The third and final set was tied 6-6 before Ma fell in a hard-fought tiebreaker 6-8. However, Moeller was the only non-Stanford athlete in the semis. Junior Alexandra Yepifanova lost a close battle with Moeller 6-1, 4-6, 3-6. Junior Valencia Xu picked up some impressive wins before falling in the semifinal to her teammate, Ma, in three sets. Ma and Yepifanova also reached the semifinals in doubles but lost 6-7 (6), 6-2, 0-1 (7) against Cal’s Mao Mushika and Moeller, respectively.

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Brothers in legs: Men’s soccer wins against Santa Clara https://stanforddaily.com/2023/10/11/brothers-in-legs-mens-soccer-wins-against-santa-clara/ https://stanforddaily.com/2023/10/11/brothers-in-legs-mens-soccer-wins-against-santa-clara/#respond Wed, 11 Oct 2023 08:44:37 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1233190 Stanford men's soccer defeated the Santa Clara Broncos in a 2-0 victory. The game was a display of sibling rivalry and bonding.

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On Monday, No. 10 Stanford men’s soccer (6-1-3, 0-1-3 Pac-12) faced the Santa Clara Broncos (4-5-2, 2-0 Pac-12) for their 10th game of the season. After no goals scored for either team in the first half, the Cardinal netted two goals to end with a 2-0 victory. 

The second goal of the night came from sophomore forward Fletcher Bank, one half of the Bank twins, who dominate Stanford’s left side. But the Bank brothers were not the only set of siblings on the field.

Cardinal midfielder and sophomore Zach Bohane was playing against his brother, Santa Clara midfielder Noah Bohane. Their on-field competition contributed to the palpable intensity of the game, including a moment when Noah was called for a yellow card after tackling Zach. 

Head coach Jeremy Gunn used the team’s early-season challenges as an opportunity to introduce some fresh legs. Monday’s changes to the starting lineup included junior midfielder Layton Purchase replacing redshirt senior captain Mark Fisher in the midfield and freshman striker Duncan Jarvie earning a starting spot.

“We’ve had a couple of knocks [who] could have played tonight. But I got to use it as an excuse to be able to give other people looks,” Gunn said. “It was a great night to be able to make changes to see the players really take their opportunities to fight for more minutes.”

Brothers in legs: Men's soccer wins against Santa Clara
Stanford’s Noah Adnan contests a header with Santa Clara’s Aaron Sandhu (Photo: CAYDEN GU/The Stanford Daily)

Gunn’s aspirations for the game came to fruition. Six minutes into the second half, Purchase scored his first goal of the season, coming off a header assist by junior center back Noah Adnan. Purchase’s goal shifted the energy of the game. 

“When it’s still at nil-nil, anything can happen, and you can start to get frustrated. So I think [the goal] was a good reward for what we were doing,” Gunn said. 

Capitalizing on its momentum, the Cardinal quickly followed with a second goal in the 56th minute. The play was set up by a through ball from junior midfielder Shane de Flores to Fletcher, who bolted down the left side of the field to finish beautifully into the back right corner of the net. 

“We’ve been talking in practice about trying to play vertical … We kind of just flowed through the midfield … and I saw the run and I just thought about slotting it back post and it was open,” Fletcher said.

Fletcher followed up his goal with an enthusiastic celebration, jumping over the fence to embrace his mom, a constant support for both Bank twins throughout their soccer careers. 

Gunn notes that the twins’ unique connection is a significant advantage, proving tough competition for opposing players. 

“Is there a special telepathic thing between twins? Who knows. But they really do complement each other out there, and they do a fantastic job down the left side,” Gunn said. “Any right-sided players wake up on game day going against those two can’t be happy about that.”

Recognizing the advantages in on-field communication with his brother, Palmer, Fletcher knows the brotherly bond helps their performance.

“I think it’s great because we know each other. I mean, we’ve lived in the same room, lived with each other and been best friends for 20 years. So it’s easy to communicate,” Fletcher said. “I feel like we have kind of twin telepathy on the left side and a little bit of chemistry, so we know where each other are.”

“It’s also nice being able to just kind of be honest with each other. If you’re feeling like one play isn’t going the right way it’s not awkward: it’s a blessing,” Fletcher said.

Zach Bohane challenges Santa Clara defender Keagan Rhodes for the ball
Stanford midfielder Zach Bohane challenges Santa Clara defender Keagan Rhodes for the ball (Photo: CAYDEN GU/The Stanford Daily)

Meanwhile, the Bohane brothers were showing a different kind of sibling dynamic: rivalry.

Zach recounts how the brotherly brawl affected his play: “There were a couple of challenges where [Noah] got the best of me. There was one near the sideline … he’s been waiting to put that one in since … we were younger,” Zach said. “But it was a lot of fun. I was just laughing … It was good to see that the hunger was there and [he] put in a good tackle.”

Gunn witnessed the sibling rivalry manifest on the field and acknowledged that the familial competition enhanced Zach’s play. 

“Zach definitely sprinted harder to make sure he kicked his brother, and so I don’t think it was a bad challenge. It was an ‘I’m gonna get you’ challenge that probably happened in the backyard a hundred times already,” Gunn said. 

Sibling dynamics aside, tonight’s win is a big one: according to Fletcher, the Cardinal need two wins this week to regain confidence and improve their position for the upcoming Pac-12 tournament.

This Thursday, Stanford will face off at home at Cagan again, this time against USF (3-7, 1-3 AAC) at 6 p.m.

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Former Stanford player Ousseni Bouda starts youth soccer initiative https://stanforddaily.com/2023/09/29/former-stanford-player-ousseni-bouda-starts-youth-soccer-initiative/ https://stanforddaily.com/2023/09/29/former-stanford-player-ousseni-bouda-starts-youth-soccer-initiative/#respond Fri, 29 Sep 2023 09:00:30 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1231271 Ousseni Bouda '23, former Stanford men's soccer player, is working to dismantle structural barriers to soccer through On The Pitch With Bouda, a youth initiative that provides support and resources to children from underserved communities.

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For an athlete, success is defined by performance on the field — but legacy transcends these simple statistics, weighing instead an athlete’s ability to effect change and transform sports to be more equitable and accessible for future generations. And Ousseni Bouda ’23, former Stanford men’s soccer player, is working to dismantle barriers for underserved communities of color with his new initiative, On The Pitch With Bouda.

Due to factors like the cost of equipment and lack of access to training and mentors, athletes from lower-income backgrounds are often disproportionately deterred from participating in sports. On The Pitch With Bouda partners with the Big Homie Project, which matches East Palo Alto kids with professional mentors and community members to provide more resources to an underserved community. On The Pitch With Bouda also brings families from East Palo Alto to Earthquakes games, which for some, are their first time at a professional sporting event. Bouda also hosts Q&A sessions with the kids.

In addition to pitch interactions, Bouda’s initiative is broadening access to supplies through equipment drives. Whenever he visits his home in Burkina Faso, he brings back gear to give to kids who want to start playing soccer.

For Bouda, community is wherever he goes, not just where he came from. Bouda fervently believes in the power of giving back to better the community that surrounds him.

“As athletes, we have to always think about the broader impacts we can have on and off the field,” Bouda said. “I think if there’s a platform, it’s good when it’s used in the right way. And so I’ve always felt like it’s a duty to try to get involved with the community and get to know people and definitely help in any way, shape or form that I can.”

Bouda’s values of selflessness and gratitude have clear antecedents in the work of his inspirations, one of whom is George Weah.

“George Weah was a Liberian soccer player who was voted best player in the world, [and is] now currently the president of his country,” Bouda said. “George Weah is someone that I look up to because of how he remembers where he comes from, and him wanting to make things better in his country, using soccer.”

Soccer has opened many doors for Bouda, starting from his youth in Burkina Faso. His journey to becoming a professional soccer player has been one of extraordinary hard work and adaptability.

“I was recruited by a soccer academy called Right to Dream, [which moved me to] Ghana. I spent four years there, so between 11 and 13 years old, I had to adapt to a new country and learn a new language,” Bouda said. At 15, he received a scholarship to attend preparatory school in New York, sparking yet another culture shock.

Throughout this incredible journey that continuously tested him physically and mentally, Bouda never lost hope in his dream to play soccer professionally. 

“I always felt like it was on me to work hard to make the most out of these opportunities,” Bouda said. “So then when times get hard, I think I always have the motivation. It’s hard to keep working, hard to continue growing. But as long as I do that, I’ll be fine.”

Bouda has a spectacular set of athletic accomplishments. In high school, he was Gatorade National Player of the Year and led his school team to three consecutive championships. While at Stanford, he earned Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and All Pac-12 First Team awards. After just two and a half years, he got the opportunity to go into the draft and join the major league, an impressive and rare feat for an underclassman. 

In addition to being a professional soccer player, Bouda was a full time student at Stanford. This past spring, he graduated with a degree in international relations. The importance of education is something that has never escaped him and something he hopes to bring to others through soccer. 

Bouda’s humility and earnest affinity to serve the community has been observed by many around him, including Jacqueline Diep, co-founder of the Big Homie Project. 

“Ousseni has been someone who is incredibly selfless and willing to help out in whatever way he can,” Diep said. “His humble beginning is something I don’t think he has ever lost sight of, no matter how successful he’s gotten on or off the pitch. His humility is a trait that really stands out to me.” 

Bouda has been involved in the Big Homie Project since his freshman year. This project aims to provide youth in underserved East Palo Alto communities with access to a professional network and mentors, whether they be professional athletes or doctors. Throughout Bouda’s participation, Diep saw his motivation to deepen his engagement, which developed into On The Pitch With Bouda. 

“I’m a believer that you can’t aspire to be what you don’t see. [Bouda] shows these kids what’s possible, no matter your circumstances and the cards you’re dealt. More importantly, he’s shown at every stage of his playing career the discipline, focus, drive and work ethic it takes to truly be great,” Diep said.

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Stanford men’s soccer’s best (tw)investment: The Bank brothers https://stanforddaily.com/2023/06/06/stanford-mens-soccers-best-twinvestment-the-bank-brothers/ https://stanforddaily.com/2023/06/06/stanford-mens-soccers-best-twinvestment-the-bank-brothers/#respond Tue, 06 Jun 2023 23:48:19 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1229872 Soccer players Fletcher and Palmer Bank reflect on their unique bond as twins and teammates.

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Stanford Athletics is no foreign space for twins, especially for twins succeeding in their fields. Stanford was home to the legendary Bryan brothers — Mike and Bob Bryan ‘00— professional tennis players who won 16 Grand Slam men’s doubles titles and 119 ATP titles total. The Cardinal also boasted former basketball players Jason and Jarron Collins ‘01, twin basketball stars who played center and were inducted into the 2017 Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame. More recently in 2021, the Hull twins, Lacie and Lexie Hull ‘22, enjoyed a sensational NCAA championship win with the women’s basketball team.

While the presence of twins on Stanford’s sports teams is not uncommon, it is not exactly frequent, and thus is always exciting to hear about the unique dynamic that comes from navigating athletics in sync. One new leaf in the Stanford book of twin athletes, hailing from southern California, is a set of soccer players, Fletcher and Palmer Bank.

The twins — who are currently finishing up their freshman year — play different positions: Fletcher is a midfielder, while Palmer is a defenseman. As a freshman, Fletcher recorded five assists, the third-most on the team.

The beginning

Growing up in Bakersfield, Calif., Fletcher and Palmer tried several sports before landing on soccer.

“I think we just started playing all sports — our parents were really big on going into all different sports. Our mom was our soccer coach, and we just really liked it,” Fletcher said.

The journey to liking soccer wasn’t the same on both sides, however. Interestingly, for a period of time, one twin was more committed than the other.

“I used to be really into it [soccer] when we were probably 10 or 11. It was hilarious. I used to love playing soccer every day, and then he [Palmer] wouldn’t want to practice,” Fletcher said. “We’d be training, and we’d be having practice and you’d be in the car with our sister just playing around, messing around.”

“Yeah I used to really, really dread it,” Palmer said. “Then it finally just came around. Naturally, it just clicked.”

In fact, before learning to love soccer, Palmer had an affinity for golf. He recalls a specific instance of devastation when there was a conflict between the Club Championship (golf) and State Cup (soccer).

“I thought that I was playing in the Club Championship and then my parents told me like the night before, ‘We’re not going to the Club Championship tomorrow. You’re going to the State Cup,'” Palmer said. “I was devastated. And I was crying. And then I went to the State Cup.”

“Yeah, and I was happy,” Fletcher said. “Because I was like, ‘We needed you back there [on defense].’”

Palmer admits he probably would have stuck with golf or another sport if not for Fletcher. But Fletcher and Palmer did everything together, and soccer became an activity they loved to do in tandem.

After playing for their mother, Natalie, they started to play for other leagues. Soon after, they got another trainer to help the twins take their play to the next level.

“We met this guy when we were like 10 years old. It was a soccer trainer, and that’s really what inspired us to play soccer because he kind of became our coach,” Fletcher said. “We started taking it more seriously from there. And so from 10 all the way up to now, we did play other sports but I think we started to focus more on soccer.”

While their parents gave them the freedom to choose any sport, there was one sport that was off the table, a rule set by their father, Baynes.

“I think my dad liked [soccer] because football is so dangerous. My dad played football in high school and he saw the effects of brain damage and concussions,” Fletcher explained. “And he refereed for like 20 years, just for fun… and he saw so many brain injuries just reffing so he didn’t want us to play football.”

In terms of family dynamics, the twins describe their parents as key to their competitiveness.

“Our mom is very competitive,” Palmer said.

“Our dad is competitive, but he’s more like, ‘As long as you try your hardest, good job.’ Our mom’s like, ‘We gotta win,’” Fletcher added.

In all, this mix from their parents was a good balance, and the brothers had a great time playing soccer from the time they were young.

Stanford men’s soccer’s best (tw)investment: The Bank brothers
Freshman Fletcher Bank during a home game against High Point University in November 2022. In his debut collegiate season, he recorded five assists, the third-most on the Stanford team. (Photo: LYNDSAY RADNEDGE/ISI Photos)

Going D1 and choosing Stanford

“I think the goal was always to basically play Division I soccer. It’s always been the goal. I think there’s moments when you doubt whether it’s possible… [but] we made it a priority to go to all these like recruiting camps and identification camps,” Palmer said.

The brothers credit their parents for the abundant investments they made into the twins’ training throughout the years, as well as their support in the recruitment process amidst the uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I remember there was a time when I told my parents that I was just gonna give up and I was like, ‘I’ll just go to school academically, like apply to a bunch of schools.’ We had worked so hard, and soccer, it had been our life for eight years, probably maybe 10 years,” Fletcher said. “And my parents were like, ‘No, we’re not gonna let you give this up.’ They almost believed in me when I didn’t even believe in myself.”

As for choosing Stanford, for both brothers, a quality education was as important a factor as the soccer program.

“There were some [Division] II and III schools that were like, highly considered because of the academics. But I think Stanford was our dream school,” Fletcher said. “Like since eighth grade we went to camp here. And then just like fell in love with the team, the program, the campus, the people, like everything.”

The fact that their parents also really liked Stanford sealed the deal for the twins. The Bank brothers love being close to home and family.

Playing on the team together 

Although they’ve always been on the same team, the novelty and significance of having each other as teammates has never worn off.

“We can be honest with each other,” Fletcher said. “Especially at a D1 program, it can be really difficult sometimes and it can be stressful. It’s a lot mentally and physically. You need someone there to talk to you and be honest, and you can honestly do that with other teammates, but it’s different when it’s your brother. When you have your brother there, it’s like unconditional love.”

Being teammates for so long, the brothers have found that being around one another makes them stronger players and people.

“My favorite thing about my brother is the fact that he makes me a better person. He holds me to a high standard. I feel like that’s been throughout my entire life,” Palmer said.

Fletcher, meanwhile, says that he appreciates Palmer’s honesty.

“I feel like you’re always there for me in that honest voice, like the back of my head, like when I’m stressed overthinking something, and I’ll talk to you about it and it doesn’t become a problem anymore,” Fletcher told his brother. “You’re just always there and super supportive and loving.

When asked if they’re treated differently on the soccer team as siblings, Palmer and Fletcher answered almost simultaneously.

“No,” Palmer said.

“A little bit,” Fletcher said.

“Our teammates like to have fun with us,” Palmer added.

“They think it’s funny because we’re very touchy, we hug a lot and we’re always like arms around each other in the locker room,” Fletcher continued. “So they think it’s funny because it’s in the locker room. Everyone’s supposed to be serious and stuff.”

While Fletcher and Palmer appreciate each other, there’s often competition between siblings, and one has to wonder, amidst this tight camaraderie, if there’s ever an edge. This resonates sometimes for Palmer, who notes that “everything’s a competition.”

But Fletcher has never seen it as competition.

“If I lost to my brother, that’s the greatest joy because I’m losing to someone in my family. Like if I see him play well, and I don’t play well, I’m still really proud of him and what he’s done,” Fletcher said.

Both agree that playing different positions greatly reduces the level of competition, especially because of the complementary nature of the midfield and defender positions which requires them to work together to achieve success.

Personal life

Other than their parents, Palmer and Fletcher credited their Christian faith as a source of inspiration.

“A lot of the times I put so much energy into soccer, and in school, and I really need to, like you said, shift your perspective to what really matters the most in your life,” Palmer said. “And so I think that’s really what Christianity has done for me.”

Echoing the ideas of his twin brother, Fletcher explained the impact that Christianity has had on him.

“But I feel like if you have this outlook of your identity in Christ, it doesn’t even really matter like whether I’m a starter or not,” Fletcher said. “I can still have an impact on the people around me.”

Fletcher and Palmer are not only talented in soccer, but in other endeavors as well.

When asked about his hidden talents, Palmer said, “Probably like the fact that I’m a scratch golfer, [and] I can walk on my hands.”

“I like to play guitar, it’s like a hobby,” Fletcher added.

“We both like guitar,” Palmer said. “[But he’s] a lot better.”

The twins, along with Stanford men’s soccer, will return to the field this fall for another season playing on the same side.

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Cardinal doomed by penalties against UNC Greensboro, end season early https://stanforddaily.com/2022/11/28/cardinal-doomed-by-penalties-against-unc-greensboro-end-season-early/ https://stanforddaily.com/2022/11/28/cardinal-doomed-by-penalties-against-unc-greensboro-end-season-early/#respond Tue, 29 Nov 2022 04:26:31 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1214955 Stanford men's soccer exited the NCAA tournament early after losing in penalty kicks to UNC Greensboro. The Cardinal finished the 2022 campaign with a 12-2-6 record.

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No. 5 Stanford men’s soccer (12-2-6, 4-2-4 Pac-12) lost to No. 12 UNC Greensboro (13-1-6, 4-0-1 SoCon) in a penalty shootout on Sunday, ending the team’s hopes of a national championship this season. 

After cruising to a 6-2 victory over High Point (11-5-5, 5-0-3 Big South) last weekend, the Cardinal were in high spirits. Redshirt junior forward Carlo Agostinelli was named College Soccer News Men’s national player of the week after scoring two and assisting two more, totalling five goals and ten assists on the season. 

Stanford started with the same lineup they did against High Point, but this game would be much more of a contest. The first 15 minutes of the match were tight, as neither side could create chances from open play. In the 16th minute, redshirt senior goalkeeper Matt Frank was called into action from a corner, just tipping a powerful header over the bar. 

But the Spartans wouldn’t be denied much longer, as they scored in the 21st minute with a cutback into the box. Senior defender Keegan Tingey lost the ball to J.C. Ngando, who took it into the box with some smooth dribbling and slid it across to Marco Afonso for the easy finish.

The Cardinal weren’t fazed, however, and immediately began to pressure their opponents, looking for the equalizer. After a few cleared balls into the box, they found it.

After a great ball down the line, the ball was switched to Tingey on the left. He found senior midfielder Cam Cilley wide open on the edge of the box, and Cilley wasted no time, smashing it into the right side netting to tie things up at 1-1. 

Sensing the possibility to do more damage, Stanford once again started strong from the kickoff, and continued to create opportunities in UNCG’s box. It seemed like only a matter of time before they got their second goal, but the Spartan defense withstood the avalanche, packing their box and blocking shots. The two teams went into the break level, with the Cardinal feeling like they should have had more. 

The second half had a much different feel, as both teams started to settle into their halves, afraid to give up a goal that would mean the end of their season. Both sides saw chances from corners go missing, but the lack of willingness to send players forward in open play saw the game close up. In the 72nd minute, UNCG’s Ismail El Harchi was whistled for a studs-up challenge that should have seen him sent off, but got away with just a yellow card. 

The end of the second half continued as it started, and even as Stanford sent players into the box for the last five minutes, neither side could make a dent in their opponent’s defense. Regular time ended 1-1, and the teams huddled up to prepare for overtime. 

The two 10-minute periods of overtime did not provide much more attacking play, with both teams seemingly satisfied to end the match on penalties. Redshirt freshman Shane de Flores had the Cardinal’s only real chance with a shot on goal, but it was saved easily. 

After 110 minutes of hard-fought, physical play, the players entered a penalty shootout. Stanford shot first, with Agostinelli stepping up to the spot, but his kick was saved by UNCG keeper Isaac Briner. Cardinal kick-takers missed their first three penalties of the shootout, as Briner guessed correctly each time to deny them. Matt Frank saved the Spartan’s second penalty, but it wasn’t enough, as UNCG won 3-1, knocking Stanford out of the tournament and advancing into the Elite Eight. 

It was an unfortunate end of the season for the Cardinal, who felt as though they should have put the game away in the first half. Stanford had 12 shots to UNCG’s three, but they weren’t able to convert, and it cost them. 

Despite the early exit, the Cardinal put forth a season to be prideful of, ending the campaign with a record of 12-2-6. They began the season on a nine-game unbeaten run, and made the postseason for the ninth time in the last ten years. Four players received All-Pac-12 honors, and senior defender Keegan Hughes was named the Pac-12 Defender of the Year. Next year’s squad will miss its senior contributors — Hughes, Cilley, Tingey and Frank were core members of the team — but there are plenty of younger players who have shown the ability to step up, including redshirt freshman Shane de Flores, who led the team in goals and total points. 

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Qatar World Cup preview: Jordan Morris ’15 on the biggest stage https://stanforddaily.com/2022/11/19/qatar-world-cup-preview-jordan-morris-15-on-the-biggest-stage/ https://stanforddaily.com/2022/11/19/qatar-world-cup-preview-jordan-morris-15-on-the-biggest-stage/#respond Sun, 20 Nov 2022 07:22:48 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1214612 Next week, the first ever winter World Cup commences in Qatar. Soccer’s biggest stars will take an unprecedented break in the middle of the club season, owing to Qatar’s extreme summer weather, to challenge for one of sport’s biggest prizes. Among the tournament favorites are Brazil, Argentina, France and England.

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Next week, the first ever winter World Cup commences in Qatar. Soccer’s biggest stars will take an unprecedented break in the middle of the club season, owing to Qatar’s extreme summer weather, to challenge for one of sport’s biggest prizes. Among the tournament favorites are Brazil, Argentina, France and England.

Yet, the United States and its young, dynamic team will hope to mark its first World Cup in eight years with a deep run. While Christian Pulisic is hailed as the superstar of the US Men’s National Team, Stanford alum and Seattle Sounders forward Jordan Morris ‘15 – who played for the Cardinal from 2013-15 – will be eager to make an impact in his first World Cup.

“That’s incredible,” Morris said upon receiving his call up from USMNT manager Gregg Berhalter. “I can’t wait, thank you.”

In 54 career games with the Cardinal, Morris scored 23 goals and had 16 assists. Morris was particularly prolific in his final season. He scored in five games in which the Cardinal won by just one goal, illustrating his match winning ability. Ultimately, he ended his Stanford career by scoring two goals in the NCAA Finals against Clemson, and was crowned the Hermann Trophy winner as the best men’s college soccer player.

“To play in a World Cup [has] been my dream since I was a little kid,” Morris said. “It would make all the hard work, all the sacrifices worth it.”

The USMNT look ahead to Qatar after successfully rebuilding in the last few years. After failing to qualify for the World Cup in 2018 following an abysmal loss to 99th-ranked minnow Trinidad and Tobago, the US appointed Berhalter as manager and ushered in a core of young talent. Gio Reyna, Weston Mckennie, Tyler Adams, Sergino Dest and more have emerged; they all play in one of Europe’s top five leagues and have experience competing in the Champions League.

This development brought silverware as the US won the Gold Cup in 2021, defeating Mexico 1-0, and the inaugural CONCACAF Nations League, defeating the same opponent 3-2 in the final. In eight competitive games in 2022, meanwhile, the team has four wins, two draws and two defeats. However, in the two most recent friendlies prior to the tournament, the team lost to Japan and drew with Saudi Arabia, failing to score a goal in either contest.

Morris and his countrymen face Wales in their opening game in Qatar on Monday at 10:45 a.m. PT. Then, the Yanks square off against one of the best teams in the tournament, England, before finishing the group stage against Iran.

Tournament predictions

The U.S. should definitely have hopes of getting through Group B as it’s a relatively favorable draw. The biggest test, of course, is England and I can’t see them getting anything there. England has a very tight defense and an abundance of flair players who are fluid in attack. But with many U.S. players now playing in Europe’s top divisions, it is not unimaginable that the US pulls off a shock result similar to the 1-1 draw which occurred between the two sides in the 2010 World Cup.

Iran should not be taken lightly but I would expect the U.S. to overcome them, owing to the gulf in caliber between the two sides. That makes the opening match against Wales particularly crucial. If the US can nullify the significant threat posed by former Real Madrid star Gareth Bale, then attackers Pulisic and Jesús Ferriera can punish Wales’s defense.

I predict that the U.S. will finish second behind England to qualify for the knockout stages. The runner-up in the group will face the winner of Group A — which will almost certainly be the Netherlands.

The knockout rounds will certainly prove difficult for the US. However, it will be exciting to see how they fare in the opening games. They may just go on a miraculously deep run this winter.

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All-Pac-12 players ready to lead Cardinal in College Cup https://stanforddaily.com/2022/11/18/all-pac-12-players-ready-to-lead-cardinal-in-college-cup/ https://stanforddaily.com/2022/11/18/all-pac-12-players-ready-to-lead-cardinal-in-college-cup/#respond Fri, 18 Nov 2022 09:33:59 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1214571 Stanford men's soccer returns to the College Cup with a number of All-Pac-12 performers leading the charge.

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No. 5 Stanford men’s soccer (11-2-5, 4-2-4 Pac-12) face High Point University (11-4-5, 5-0-3 Big South) on Sunday to start its quest for the NCAA D-I Championship in the College Cup. Stanford earned its highest end-of-season ranking since finishing No. 3 in 2017, the last time the program took home the championship.

The Cardinal produced their best season in a while, led by a strong senior cohort and a sturdy defense. Although they were bested in the Pac-12 by No. 1 Washington (15-1-3, 7-1-2 Pac-12), there were plenty of highlights along the way, including two Big Clasico wins over Cal (3-8-6, 1-6-3 Pac-12), nine total clean sheets and seven matches in which Stanford scored three goals or more (going 6-0-1 in those games).

Four members of the men’s soccer team were recognized by the Pac-12 for their performances, including senior defender Keegan Hughes, who was named the Pac-12 Defender of the Year, along with being named to the All-Pac-12 First Team. Senior midfielder Cam Cilley also earned a spot on the All-Pac-12 First Team after scoring five goals and recording five assists.

Senior defender Keegan Tingey was included in the All-Pac-12 Second Team, and redshirt freshman Shane de Flores collected an honorable mention after leading the Cardinal in scoring with seven goals.

The Cardinal’s No. 5 ranking earned them a bye to the second round of the College Cup, where they will face High Point, who defeated North Carolina (8-6-5, 2-2-4 ACC) 2-0 in the first round of play. Stanford’s path to the semifinal includes No. 13 Indiana (10-4-6, 3-1-4 Big 10), a program that the team beat in 2017 to complete the “Three-peat” of College Cup victories, and possibly one of No. 4 Virginia (10-4-4, 5-1-2 ACC) and 2020 national champions Marshall (11-3-3, 4-1-3 Sun Belt). If they make it to the semis, the Cardinal could face Pac-12 rival Washington, who they tied 3-3 and lost to 3-0 during the regular season.

Before then, though, Stanford kicks off tournament play versus High Point at Cagan Stadium on Sunday. The game is set for 5 p.m. PT.

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Men’s Soccer wins Big Clasico in Berkeley https://stanforddaily.com/2022/11/13/mens-soccer-wins-big-clasico-in-berkeley/ https://stanforddaily.com/2022/11/13/mens-soccer-wins-big-clasico-in-berkeley/#respond Mon, 14 Nov 2022 05:57:20 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1213733 No. 5 Stanford eked out a 1-0 win against the Golden Bears to end their season on a high note.

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No. 5 Stanford (11-2-5, 4-2-4 Pac-12) eked out a 1-0 win against the Golden Bears (3-8-6, 1-6-3 Pac-12) to end their regular season on a high note.

The Cardinal took their second Big Clasico win of the year on Saturday afternoon, as Cal ended its season on a nine-game winless streak, dating back to the last meeting between the two teams on Sept. 29. It wasn’t as clear-cut as that 5-1 beatdown, but Stanford got the job done thanks to some stout defense and a wondergoal from senior midfielder Cam Cilley.

The Cardinal dominated the match early but weren’t able to break through with any real chances. But in the 17th minute, redshirt freshman midfielder Shane de Flores delivered a throw-in into the box that rebounded to the edge of the area, finding Cilley waiting. He took his chance beautifully, striking the ball into the top left corner and leaving the goalkeeper watching.

It was Cilley’s fifth goal of the season, a remarkable number considering he hadn’t scored for Stanford before this year.

Stanford continued to put pressure on the Golden Bears’ defense throughout the first period, maintaining possession in the opposing half and delivering balls into the box.

But the Cardinal weren’t clinical in front of goal, taking a total of 11 shots (five on target) without scoring again. As the game wore on, Cal began to take the initiative, forcing redshirt senior goalkeeper Matt Frank into two saves by the end of the half.

The Golden Bears continued where they left off in the second half, stringing together their own dangerous possessions while almost completely neutralizing the Stanford offense. The Cardinal didn’t take a single shot on goal in the period, struggling to keep the ball in Cal territory. But as the offense faltered, the defense stood strong, not allowing Cal to finish its moves cleanly and holding them to only one shot on goal, saved easily by Frank. 

The last few minutes of the match tested the nerves of the Cardinal, but in the end they came out victorious, riding their one-goal lead to the finish line. This match marked the end of a successful regular season for the Cardinal, who are looking to capture the national championship for the first time since 2017.

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Men’s soccer ties Huskies in six-goal thriller https://stanforddaily.com/2022/10/31/mens-soccer-ties-huskies-in-six-goal-thriller/ https://stanforddaily.com/2022/10/31/mens-soccer-ties-huskies-in-six-goal-thriller/#respond Mon, 31 Oct 2022 22:21:08 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1211914 On Sunday, men's soccer tied No. 1 Washington, a team they lost to 3-0 earlier in the season.

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No. 5 Stanford (9-2-5, 3-2-4 Pac-12) tied No. 1 Washington (13-0-3, 5-0-2) 3-3 on Sunday afternoon, bringing home a well-earned point against the top team in the country.

Stanford honored its four seniors, midfielder Cam Cilley, goalkeeper Matt Frank, defender Keegan Hughes and defender Keegan Tingey before the game, and the ceremony seemed to motivate the Cardinal early. Stanford struck first in the 21st minute when redshirt freshman midfielder Shane de Flores scored his third goal in the last four games. After redshirt junior forward Carlo Agostinelli’s shot on goal was pushed away by the Washington goalkeeper, de Flores pounced to give the Cardinal a 1-0 lead.

Washington immediately equalized, though, as Stanford gave up a penalty two minutes later, which Husky Gio Miglietti put away calmly. Undeterred, however, the Cardinal barged ahead and snatched back the lead in the 26th minute. Cilley fed the ball to redshirt sophomore Connor Evans in the box, and Evans neatly struck the ball past the goalkeeper for his first career Stanford goal.

The Cardinal managed to control the game for the next 10 minutes, but the Huskies would strike back once again in the 35th minute, catching both Stanford’s goalie and defenders off guard with a free-kick at the back post that bounced in. The two sides reached the break tied at 2-2.

After an action-packed first half, the second period began more serenely. Both defenses began tightening up, making play more physical and not allowing either side’s attackers to hold the ball for long. The best chances for both sides came from free kicks near the box, but both teams’ keepers were active, making sure the crosses never reached an attacker’s head.

Once again, however, poor set-piece defense was Stanford’s downfall, as a Washington free-kick found Miglietti wide open at the back post for his second goal of the game to give the Huskies the lead, 3-2.

It looked like the game was wrapped up, as neither side was able to make too much happen in the next few minutes, but the Cardinal found their equalizer from a corner kick in the 79th minute. Agostinelli was crucial once again, delivering an inch-perfect ball to the back post, where Hughes broke free and deflected the ball in with his shoulder.

Stanford looked to take the initiative from there, but wasn’t able to find the winning goal as the match ended 3-3, a fair result for both teams. The game was action-packed, with both sides playing aggressively and moving the ball forward quickly. Neither side was afraid to shoot, with Stanford taking nine shots (five on goal) and Washington taking seven (five on goal).

The Cardinal were able to find their attacking form after struggling to score in their last two games, but unfortunately they were matched in most aspects of the game by a Washington team with one of the most talented rosters in the country.

Up next, Stanford hosts Pacific (3-9-2, 2-2-1 WCC) at Cagan Stadium next Monday at 5:30 pm PT.

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Men’s Soccer win streak broken by Beavers https://stanforddaily.com/2022/10/28/mens-soccer-win-streak-broken-by-beavers/ https://stanforddaily.com/2022/10/28/mens-soccer-win-streak-broken-by-beavers/#respond Sat, 29 Oct 2022 05:16:24 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1211725 Men's soccer had their three-game win streak broken on Thursday night after a loss to Oregon State.

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No. 5 Stanford (9-2-4, 3-2-3 Pac-12) fell 21 to Oregon State (6-3-4, 2-1-3 Pac-12) in a cold Thursday night game. With No. 1 Washington (13-0-2, 5-0-1 Pac-12) looming on the weekend, the Cardinal weren’t able to convert their chances, faltering at an unfortunate time before their biggest match of the season.

Stanford came into the game red-hot, having won their last three games with two clean sheets, all on the road. Their success was in part due to redshirt freshman midfielder Shane de Flores, who was named the Pac-12 Men’s Soccer player of the week and was also named to both College Soccer News and Top Drawer Soccer’s men’s soccer team of the week.

The Cardinal began the match well, keeping the ball in the Beaver’s third and firing off a couple dangerous shots. In the 12th minute, senior defender Keegan Tingey drew a penalty, setting up senior midfielder Cam Cilley to put it away, putting Stanford up 1-0, a first-half advantage that has been hard to come by recently. But quickly after, Oregon State began to find their footing, keeping most of the possession and setting up shots. Stanford’s defense held strong into the break, however, putting in hard challenges, blocking shots and clearing the droves of crosses that found their way into the box.

Not much changed after halftime as the Beavers kept pressing, creating scoring chances every time they brought the ball into the opposing half and forcing saves from redshirt senior goalkeeper Matt Frank, including a show-stopper in the 54th minute to deny a two-on-one fast break. But just one minute later Oregon State found their break with a penalty from a Stanford handball in the box, slotted away calmly by Gael Gilbert as Frank guessed the wrong way.

The Cardinal seemed motivated by the equalizer, taking the game into their own hands and threatening the opponent’s goal with precise passing and well-placed crosses, including a stunning volleyed ball from Tingey that de Flores just couldn’t direct into the goal. Yet even while controlling the run of play, Stanford gave up opportunities, and the Beavers converted. In the 83rd minute, a deflected cross into the box found its way into the Stanford goal after junior defender Noah Adnan couldn’t clear it off of the line. The last seven minutes of the game consisted of long balls, free-kicks and corners desperately defended by Oregon State, who were able to come out victors after a hard-fought 90 minutes.

“Oregon State played very well. And the really disappointing thing is we didn’t assert ourselves,” said Knowles Family Director of Men’s Soccer Jeremy Gunn. “We didn’t play in the way we’ve been playing all season.”

Even in moments where Stanford had the upper hand, they never seemed to feel safe, playing passes too quickly and losing the ball too easily.

“At moments in the second half, it was a little bit better,” Gunn said. “We were a bit more assertive, but again, it just wasn’t good enough today. I think our guys have been amazing all season long with how consistent we’ve been. Tonight, we weren’t who we should be. So very, very disappointed.”

Sunday’s home matchup with Washington is crucial if the Cardinal still have hopes of a Pac-12 championship. The two teams’ last matchup was a 3-0 win for the Huskies, but Coach Gunn felt the score didn’t accurately reflect the game.

“The last time, we actually played quite well, and Washington just capitalized on good chances, Gunn said. “And so I think it’ll be another exciting game. I just hope that we get the attitude right for Sunday.”

Stanford will certainly have chances to win their game against Washington, but they need to turn up more motivated than they were Thursday. Gunn summed up his feelings on the match, saying: “Just disappointed with the performance and results tonight. And I think hopefully we can show the better side of ourselves on Sunday.”

Stanford plays Washington this Sunday. Kick off is set for at 4 p.m. PT at Cagan Stadium.

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Bruins bested as men’s soccer continues championship push https://stanforddaily.com/2022/10/23/bruins-bested-as-mens-soccer-continues-championship-push/ https://stanforddaily.com/2022/10/23/bruins-bested-as-mens-soccer-continues-championship-push/#respond Mon, 24 Oct 2022 06:19:55 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1211060 No. 5 Stanford (9-1-4, 3-1-3 Pac-12) took its third win in a row, capping off a five-game road trip with a narrow 1-0 victory at UCLA (8-5-1, 3-3-1 Pac-12). The Cardinal are finding their form at the right time, with a showdown with undefeated No. 1 Washington (12-0-2, 4-0-1 Pac-12) coming up next weekend.

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No. 5 Stanford (9-1-4, 3-1-3 Pac-12) took its third win in a row, capping off a five-game road trip with a narrow 1-0 victory at UCLA (8-5-1, 3-3-1 Pac-12). The Cardinal are finding their form at the right time, with a showdown with undefeated No. 1 Washington (12-0-2, 4-0-1 Pac-12) coming up next weekend.

The game’s first 45 minutes were a dry affair, with neither team creating many chances. There were three total shots, with UCLA taking the only shot on target, stopped easily by redshirt senior goalkeeper Matt Frank. Stanford showed its physicality and aggressiveness, committing 10 fouls in the first half, and 16 total, compared to UCLA’s six. 

The Bruins took the initiative after the break, commanding possession and keeping Stanford pinned in their own half. In the 59th minute, the home team came up with the best chance of the game, working a three-on-two counterattack into an open shot, but UCLA’s Aaron Edwards skied the ball over the crossbar from inside the six-yard box.

The blown opportunity turned the tide of the game, as Stanford immediately began creating chances in the opposing half. In the 67th minute, redshirt freshman midfielder Shane de Flores cut the ball back after an incisive run into the box, but freshman midfielder Zach Bohane’s resulting shot was cleared off the line.

Finally, in the 71st minute, Stanford’s moment came. Senior defender Keegan Tingey delivered a powerful cross into the box for de Flores to head into the goal, with nothing for the Bruin goalie to do about it.

The last 20 minutes of the game were uneventful, as Stanford’s defense stood strong, keeping the clean sheet. It was an altogether impressive game from the Cardinal’s defensive unit, all of whom played the full 90 minutes, allowing only two shots on goal and disrupting UCLA’s attack with solid, physical play. Stanford’s passing was much sharper than in previous games, leading to nine total shots, with three on target.

Up next, Stanford hosts Oregon State (5-3-4, 1-1-3 Pac-12) on Thursday at 8 p.m. PT.

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Men’s soccer shuts out St. Mary’s in closely contested 2-0 win https://stanforddaily.com/2022/10/15/mens-soccer-shuts-out-st-marys-in-closely-contested-2-0-win/ https://stanforddaily.com/2022/10/15/mens-soccer-shuts-out-st-marys-in-closely-contested-2-0-win/#respond Sun, 16 Oct 2022 01:22:05 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1210112 It wasn't exactly a pretty game, but two quick goals from No. 9 Stanford handed them a 2-0 victory over St. Mary's.

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Without a win in their last two games, No. 9 Stanford (7-1-4, 1-1-3 Pac-12) showed its spirit and toughness against a resilient St Mary’s (5-6-2, 0-1-1 WCC) defense. After a deadlocked first 70 minutes, the Cardinal broke through with two goals in under a minute, securing a hard-fought away win in Moraga, Calif.

The first half started off well for Stanford, controlling the tempo of the game early and drawing four saves in the first 20 minutes. The rest of the half was much more evenly matched, with the Gaels stringing together a few attacking possessions of their own, but neither side was able to create any real chances of note. The Cardinal ended the half with seven shots to St Mary’s three, forcing Gaels keeper Jack Landreth into five saves to keep his team in the contest.

The second half began in a similar fashion, with neither side able to crack the stalemate. The match seemed to be heading towards another unfortunate draw for Stanford until the 71st minute, when a handball from St. Mary’s Valentin Kurz gifted the Cardinal a penalty, taken coolly by captain and senior midfielder Cam Cilley to put his team in the lead. And Just 30 seconds after the restart, Redshirt junior midfielder Mark Fisher headed in a free kick delivered by sophomore midfielder Will Reilly to seal the game at 2-0. 

“It was a great game,” Fisher said. “Cam and I got another brace as a duo, second half goals — one PK and one set piece, so those are key moments in the game.”

With 19 total fouls and three yellow cards for each team, the game wasn’t exactly pretty, but Stanford deservedly came away with a win after edging the Gaels in shots (12 to four, nine to two on goal) and corners (eight to three). In a physical match where neither side could muster up too much offense, Stanford was able to capitalize on chances late in the second half to secure all three points, setting them up nicely for their next match.

Up next, the Cardinal play at San Diego State (4-6-2, 1-3-1 Pac-12) on Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. PT, with UCLA (7-4-1, 2-2-1 Pac-12) on the horizon.

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Physical play leads men’s soccer to 5-1 win over Cal https://stanforddaily.com/2022/09/30/physical-play-leads-mens-soccer-to-5-1-win-over-cal/ https://stanforddaily.com/2022/09/30/physical-play-leads-mens-soccer-to-5-1-win-over-cal/#respond Fri, 30 Sep 2022 08:34:48 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1208782 In an exhilarating match, No. 6 Stanford men’s soccer topped Cal by a stellar scoreline of 5-1, remaining unbeaten this season. 

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In an exhilarating match, No. 6 Stanford men’s soccer (6-0-3, 1-0-2 Pac-12) topped Cal (3-3-3, 1-2 Pac-12) by a scoreline of 5-1, maintaining their undefeated start to this season. 

While the scoreline may indicate a clean win, it was anything but that. Despite being a high-scoring game, all six goals came in the second half. Still, the first half was not without action. In a physical, end-to-end 45 minutes, energy pulsated through both the players and fans. In the first half alone, the Cardinal earned seven corner kicks and the Bears four. And, with the teams committing six fouls apiece, there was a slew of set pieces. While neither team could completely capitalize, Stanford proved to be more dangerous, wracking up 13 shots as opposed to Cal’s four. It was a sign of things to come in the second half.

The second period was when the already high energy became truly palpable. After a series of rough plays, the first yellow card of the game was awarded to Cal forward Nonso Adimabua, as he dissented the referee’s call. This began the cascade of yellow, which shadowed over nearly all aspects of the match. Just under four minutes later, the Cardinal scored their first goal. With impeccable control in the box, redshirt freshman midfielder Shane de Flores was able to find the bottom right corner of the goal, earning both the first goal of the match and Stanford’s first shot of the second half.

However, Stanford could not hold the lead for long. Within four minutes, Cal was able to retaliate with a goal of its own. In a free-for-all in the box, Cal forward Fahmi Ibraham was able to push the ball past the goalkeeper to knot it up at one apiece.

As the scoreline rose, so did the tension. Following a yellow card to Cal defender Cameron Robie, goalkeeper Collin Travasos earned himself a yellow, approaching the referee to express his disagreement.

A mere four minutes later, Stanford scored its second goal. With the third goal in nine minutes, it was sophomore midfielder Will Reilly who celebrated as he snuck one past Travasos. Reilly, who hails from Georgia, went on to earn a brace with his second goal in the 79th minute.

All the while, fouls were wracking up. After Cal forward Nate Carrasco earned himself a yellow, Adimabua, who was already in the books, was awarded a red card for fighting. As such, Adimabua will not be eligible to play next game.

Following — but unrelated to — this episode, the Cardinal were awarded a penalty kick in the 77th minute. Earning the first goal of his 58-game career, senior midfielder Cam Cilley took the shot to create a 3-1 scoreline.

The final goal of the match came in the 85th minute, after Reilly put his second in, as de Flores was able to win a brace — the Cardinal’s second of the match. As for Cal, they were awarded two more yellow cards to defenders Jack Singer and Santiago Hopkins. Stanford earned their first and only yellow card in the 82nd minute as junior defender Conner Maurer put up a tough challenge outside the box. 

With six goals, seven yellow cards, and a red, this game was not one to miss. Catch Stanford men’s soccer playing again in Seattle on Thursday, Oct. 6th, as they take on No. 2 Washington in a top-10 matchup.

Kick-off begins at 7:30 PM PST.

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Men’s soccer shuts out pair of NorCal schools in weekend competition https://stanforddaily.com/2022/09/05/mens-soccer-shuts-out-pair-of-norcal-schools-in-weekend-competition/ https://stanforddaily.com/2022/09/05/mens-soccer-shuts-out-pair-of-norcal-schools-in-weekend-competition/#respond Tue, 06 Sep 2022 05:24:23 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1207720 No. 3 Stanford men’s soccer (4-0-0, 0-0-0 Pac-12) is right where it needs to be with conference play looming and a match-up with No. 7 Creighton on Friday.

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No. 3 Stanford men’s soccer (4-0-0, 0-0-0 Pac-12) is right where it needs to be with conference play looming and a matchup with No. 7 Creighton (2-1-0, 0-0-0 Big East) on Friday. Thursday afternoon, the Cardinal shutout a fellow Northern California school — UC Davis (0-2-0, 0-0-0 Big West — 3-0 in Cagan Stadium.

Sophomore midfielder Shane de Flores, sophomore forward Jackson Kiil and junior midfielder Layton Purchase were the goal scorers for Stanford. On Sunday evening, the Cardinal recorded another shutout against a NorCal opponent, this time besting San Jose State (1-2-1, 0-0-0 WAC) 4-0. 

The Cardinal put pressure on the Aggies from the opening whistle, but unlike its first two matches of the season, it took Stanford some time to settle into the match and get on the scoresheet. Once they did, the match was never in doubt as the Cardinal dominated the rest of the proceedings. 

The opener came in the 32nd minute. On as a substitute, de Flores collected a loose ball on the right side of the field and sprinted towards the box. Once inside, he slotted the ball over the goalkeeper and into the back of the net for his first career goal. 

That would be the only goal of the half, as Stanford went into the break with a slight advantage. The Aggies did have chances of their own, including a shot that slowly rolled just wide left of the post late in the half. 

The Cardinal wasted little time getting the second half started on the right foot. Within a minute of the start of the period, Kiil dribbled his way through a crowd of Davis defenders before firing a shot past the goalkeeper to double his team’s lead. 

Stanford did not let up from there and kept applying its trademark pressure on the opposing defense. In the final minutes of the match, Purchase took advantage of an Aggie gaffe, as he deflected the goalkeeper’s kick into the back of the net for the third and final goal of the night. 

Head coach Jeremy Gunn used his bench more in this comprehensive victory than he had in his previous matches. Sophomores defender Nico Rei McMillan and midfielder Kwabena Kwakwa made their Stanford debuts off of the bench, while junior midfielders Aiden Weaver and Connor Evans made their season debuts. 

“Very happy with the attitude that we came into the game with. I thought we had a great mentality throughout,” said Gunn. “We certainly put Davis on the back foot from the beginning of the game and throughout the game, we’re always looking to try to score goals.”  

In Sunday’s match, Stanford carried over its aggressive play but was not able to convert much of their chances in the first half. The team took 11 shots in the opening period but only one made it past the goalkeeper. 

That goal was scored by redshirt junior forward Carlo Agostinelli. Freshman midfielder Fletcher Bank had a shot saved by San Jose State’s keeper, but it was only parried out. Agostinelli was right there to knock the ball home for the opener. 

The second half was also dominated by Stanford. A 10-minute stretch later in the half saw the Cardinal add three more goals to their total. 

After getting an assist in the first half, it was Bank who then got a goal of his own thanks to an assist from freshman forward Liam Doyle. Barely four minutes after, Stanford was threatening the Spartans yet again. Doyle passed the ball out of the box and sophomore midfielder Will Reilly hit a rocket with his first touch into the top left of the goal. 

Four minutes after that, Doyle also scored a goal to add to his earlier assist. The freshman from Tokyo cut onto his right foot and hit a shot on the ground that nutmegged a defender and rolled past the keeper. Coming off the bench in each match so far, Doyle has two goals and two assists to his name already this season. 

Stanford ended the match having outshot San Jose State 26-6. Only two of the Spartans’ shots were on target. 

One of the things that has played a part in the Cardinal’s great start to the season has been the stellar play of some of its freshman class. Midfielder/defender Will Cleary and Fletcher Bank have started in each of the team’s matches so far this season and have played well. Doyle has played significant minutes off of the bench, while midfielder Zach Bohane has also seen time in a few of the matches. 

“I’ve been so impressed [with the freshmen],” Gunn said. ‘How ready they were coming into preseason, it’s a huge jump coming from the youth game into college. And quite often, it’s a very tough jump to make, and it often takes a long time to be up to speed. I’ve just been amazed by how well they’ve been playing.”

Stanford came into the season unranked and was predicted to finish fourth in the Pac-12. However, their undefeated start has already garnered attention from coaches around the country as the Cardinal debuted in the rankings last week at No. 3. Gunn wants to make sure that does not change his team’s mindset. 

“Getting recognized is a nice pat on the back for some of the great work that people have been doing. But it’s still so very early that I really don’t read too much into it. If we’re in that position at the end of the season, that means that we’ve had an incredible body of work,” Gunn said. “Right now we’ve performed well in the early games, which is a great start. Naturally we’re wanting to kick on from that.” 

The team’s next two matches will be against top-10 opponents, with a trip to Omaha, Neb. on Friday to face No. 7 Creighton at 5:30 p.m. PT. After that, No. 4 UCLA (3-0-0, 0-0-0 Pac-12) will come to the Farm on Sep. 15. 

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Sweet revenge for men’s soccer against SMU https://stanforddaily.com/2022/08/29/sweet-revenge-for-mens-soccer-against-smu/ https://stanforddaily.com/2022/08/29/sweet-revenge-for-mens-soccer-against-smu/#respond Mon, 29 Aug 2022 17:21:38 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1207429 A year ago, a 3-1 opening day loss to SMU in Dallas would set the tone for Stanford's Stanford men’s disappointing fall campaign. This time around was different.

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A year ago, a 3-1 opening day loss to SMU in Dallas would set the tone for Stanford men’s soccer’s disappointing fall campaign. This time around, the Cardinal (2-0-0, 0-0-0 Pac-12) exacted their revenge, taking down the Mustangs (1-1-0, 0-0-0 American) by the same scoreline Sunday at Cagan Stadium. 

Redshirt junior forward Carlo Agostinelli provided the opener, while a pair of freshmen — forward Liam Doyle and midfielder Fletcher Bank — scored their first career goals. SMU fifth year midfielder Knut Ahlander’s 75th minute penalty provided a consolation prize for the Mustangs. 

Carrying over from its season-opening win against Villanova, the Cardinal started off on the front foot, attacking the Mustangs from the opening whistle. Stanford took five shots in the opening 15 minutes, compared to SMU’s one, and the opener came in the 16th minute. The Mustangs were building out from the back when freshman defender Owen Zarnick paused on the ball for too long and had it swiped by Agostinelli. The Parisian would take on the SMU goalkeeper one-on-one, calmly slotting the ball into the back of the net. 

It would not take long for the Cardinal to strike again. Just five minutes later, Agostinelli was back at it with the ball. He sent in a cross to the back post which the freshman Fletcher Bank attacked and headed into the goal. Bank has been a shining light for the Cardinal in their opening two matches and it was nice to see him rewarded with his first career Stanford goal. 

From there, the action calmed down a bit but the Cardinal still stayed aggressive. In the 40th minute, junior midfielder Layton Purchase was fouled and earned a free kick for his team outside of the box. Doyle stepped forward to take it, having only been subbed on five minutes before. The Tokyo product lashed the ball off the bottom of the crossbar and into the goal. The Mustang goalkeeper was unable to come close to making a save. Another first tally for a Cardinal freshman, Doyle made sure his was done with some style. 

Stanford dominated the first half, heading into the break having outshot SMU seven to three, and earning four corners to the Mustangs’ zero. 

In the second half, SMU pushed for a way back into the match, while the Cardinal were unable to add to their three-goal lead. In the 75th minute, the Mustangs were provided a lifeline as senior defender Keegan Tingey recorded a foul in his own box. Ahlander stepped up to take the penalty and executed. Unfortunately for SMU, that was the only chance they were able to finish against a stout Stanford defense. 

Head coach Jeremy Gunn will surely have been happy to see his team avenge a defeat from a year ago, as well as seeing significant contributions from a pair of his freshmen. The Cardinal starting lineup was unchanged from its season opener three days prior. The team will now get ready for its next match on Thursday against UC Davis (0-1-0, 0-0-0 Big West) at 3 p.m. The Aggies lost their only game of the season so far to No. 5 Oregon State (1-0-0, 0-0-0 Pac-12) 2-1.

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Freshman Kostmayer leads Stanford women’s soccer rout of San Francisco https://stanforddaily.com/2022/08/25/freshman-kostmayer-lead-the-charge-in-stanford-womens-soccer-rout-of-san-francisco/ https://stanforddaily.com/2022/08/25/freshman-kostmayer-lead-the-charge-in-stanford-womens-soccer-rout-of-san-francisco/#respond Fri, 26 Aug 2022 06:11:51 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1207267 On Thursday night in San Francisco, freshman forward Lumi Kostmayer had two goals and an assist to lead No. 13 Stanford over San Francisco 3-0.

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Stanford women’s soccer leaned on their newest star Thursday night, and it wasn’t All-Pac-12 senior midfielder Maya Doms or freshman top-ranked recruit Elise Evans.

On Thursday night in San Francisco, freshman forward Lumi Kostmayer had two goals and an assist to lead No. 13 Stanford (2-0, 0-0 Pac-12) to a 3-0 victory over San Francisco (1-1-1, 0-0 WCC).

Stanford dominated the game from the opening minute and even had several close opportunities to extend their lead. From the start, USF’s strategy was clear: Stifle Doms at all costs. But the tactic allowed other players to step up. In the 24th minute, the Cardinal jumped out to a 1-0 lead after junior forward Samantha Williams capitalized on a no-look through ball from Kostmayer.

“It was a great entry pass by Sierra to Lumi [Kostmayer],” said Stanford head coach Paul Ratcliffe, lauding redshirt senior midfielder Sierra Enge. “Lumi disguised the pass well and back-heeled it to Samantha who scored.”

At the 50-minute mark, Kostmayer buried a bomb, launching the ball from 75 yards out and watching it sail it over the goalie’s head and into the net to extend Stanford’s lead to two goals. Then at the 69-minute mark, Kostmayer again drove to the top of the box and rocketed it past USF goalkeeper Megan Nail.

“[Kostmayer] has been playing well all season,” Ratcliffe said.  “And when you score a couple goals, your confidence level goes up.”

Beyond the freshman’s play, the defense played a big role in the win as well. “Ryan Campbell did a fantastic job organizing the players in the back,” Ratcliffe said of the team’s junior goalkeeper. Through their first three outings this season, including an exhibition against the Chinese National Team, Stanford has not allowed a single goal.

This game was the first road game of the season for the Cardinal, and Coach Ratcliffe was proud of the team’s effort. “It’s not easy on the road. But the character of the team is very strong,” he said.

Looking ahead, the Cardinal will return back home to take on UC Santa Barbara. The game is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Cagan Stadium.

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Game of the Week: Men’s soccer kicks season off with win over Wildcats https://stanforddaily.com/2022/08/25/game-of-the-week-mens-soccer-kicks-season-off-with-win-over-wildcats/ https://stanforddaily.com/2022/08/25/game-of-the-week-mens-soccer-kicks-season-off-with-win-over-wildcats/#respond Fri, 26 Aug 2022 05:57:16 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1207265 The Cardinal took down the visiting Villanova Wildcats (0-1-0, 0-0-0 Big East) 1-0 Thursday night, thanks to a 10th minute goal from sophomore forward Jackson Kiil. Villanova is on a two-match Bay Area trip and will take on Cal (0-1-0, 0-0-0 Pac-12) on Sunday. 

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This article is part of The Daily’s series, “Game of the Week,” where The Daily highlights one top performance by a Stanford sports team as chosen by our editors. 

Ahead of Thursday’s season opener, head coach Jeremy Gunn knew he was going to need new blood to perform for the team to replace some of the attacking firepower lost from a season ago — and perform they did. The Cardinal freshmen and sophomores impressed on Thursday night, powering Stanford men’s soccer (1-0-0, 0-0-0 Pac-12) to a 1-0 win over the visiting Villanova Wildcats (0-1-0, 0-0-0 Big East). 

The Cardinal took down the visiting Villanova Wildcats (0-1-0, 0-0-0 Big East) 1-0 Thursday night, thanks to a 10th minute goal from sophomore forward Jackson Kiil. Villanova is on a two-match Bay Area trip and will take on Cal (0-1-0, 0-0-0 Pac-12) on Sunday.

Stanford broke out of the gates strong, pressing with intent and controlling the vast majority of the possession during the first half. The team’s first chance came in the third minute when sophomore forward Jackson Kiil sent a ball into the box toward freshman midfielder Fletcher Bank, but the Bakersfield, Calif. product missed with a header. 

It would not take much longer for the Cardinal to find a breakthrough. Seven minutes later, the Wildcats dangerously lost the ball in their own defensive half. Redshirt junior forward Carlo Agostinelli stepped in with the steal before laying it off for senior midfielder Cam Cilley, who then fired a left-footed shot that was saved at the goal line by a Villanova defender. With the ball still up for grabs at the mouth of the goal, Kiil found himself in the right place at the right time. He tapped the ball into the back of the net, giving Stanford the early 1-0 advantage.  

Kiil was making his official Cardinal debut after not appearing in any of Stanford’s matches last season. The forward from San Diego had an impressive youth career, playing for clubs such as Fulham and Chelsea of the English Premier League, Servette FC in Switzerland and the Columbus Crew of the MLS. He has been the man so far tasked with replacing Zach Ryan ’21, having started both of last week’s exhibitions and scoring a goal in one of them.

Stanford did not slow down through the match. The team’s aggressive style of pressing clearly caused problems for the Wildcats and was one of the reasons the Cardinal were able to get the game’s only goal. 

Gunn made three substitutions in the first half, introducing junior midfielder Layton Purchase, freshman forward Liam Doyle and sophomore midfielder Shane de Flores. Doyle had an opportunity to score in the 39th minute when he received the ball just outside the box with two defenders on him, dribbled in and switched the ball to his right foot, unleashing a shot at the left goalpost. Villanova keeper Kent Dickey had to hurry to that side of the goal but was still able to clean it up. 

At the break, the Cardinal had outshot the Wildcats 10-6. 

Villanova had the biggest chance of the second half early on in the period, as junior forward Akinjide Awujo found himself with the ball and some space barreling towards the Stanford goal. Luckily for the Cardinal, senior defender and team captain Keegan Hughes was able to recover and lunge in front of the ball to stop Awujo’s shot from forcing redshirt senior goalkeeper Matt Frank into action. 

The second half was considerably slower than the first, and the Cardinal did not dominate possession as much as they had in the opening period. Both team’s defenses had firmed up and were making life difficult for opposing forwards. 

Agostinelli would get one last chance in the 86th minute when a Frank goal kick went unaccounted for into the Villanova defense’s final third. The opposing goalkeeper was off his line, but a flick by him came up short of the goal line. 

The match would end 1-0 in favor of the home team, giving Stanford an opening day victory over a team that made it to the NCAA Tournament last fall. The defense’s dominance from last year carried over to Thursday night’s performance, but Gunn will be happy to have seen the contributions from a pair of freshmen midfield starters in Will Cleary and Fletcher Bank. Cleary played the full 90 minutes, while Bank went 84. Bank seemingly popped up everywhere during the match, linking up with senior defender Keegan Tingey on the left side of the field and asserting himself in Cardinal attacks. 

With Kiil wasting little time getting on the scoresheet and Agostinelli also showing his creativity and knack for drawing fouls, the potential is there for Stanford to go on and string together a successful season. The Cardinal will be back in action Sunday night at 7 p.m. to take on SMU (1-0-0, 0-0-0 American) at Cagan Stadium. The Mustangs opened their season Thursday night with a 4-0 win over Oral Roberts (0-1-0, 0-0-0 Summit).

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Men’s soccer eager to kick off 2022 season, return to winning ways https://stanforddaily.com/2022/08/23/mens-soccer-eager-to-kick-off-2022-season-return-to-winning-ways/ https://stanforddaily.com/2022/08/23/mens-soccer-eager-to-kick-off-2022-season-return-to-winning-ways/#respond Wed, 24 Aug 2022 03:59:00 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1207140 The Stanford men’s soccer team enters the 2022 season in unfamiliar territory. The Cardinal are coming off of a 6-6-6 (2-4-4 Pac-12) 2021 year in which the team narrowly missed out on postseason play. That was only the second time in head coach Jeremy Gunn’s tenure that his team did not qualify for the NCAA Tournament. 

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Stanford men’s soccer enters the 2022 season in unfamiliar territory. The Cardinal are coming off of a 6-6-6 (2-4-4 Pac-12) 2021 year in which the team narrowly missed out on postseason play. It was only the second time in head coach Jeremy Gunn’s tenure that his team did not qualify for the NCAA Tournament. 

Under Gunn, Stanford is well-accustomed to being among the nation’s best, having won back-to-back-to-back national championships in 2015, 2016 and 2017, and most recently, making it to the NCAA Semifinals in 2019. This year, Stanford enters the season in an unfamiliar spot: without high outside expectations. The team was voted fourth in the Pac-12 Men’s Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll

The Cardinal need their numerous new faces to hit the ground running this fall — it will be no easy task to replace the firepower that has departed Stanford’s attacking ranks. Gone from a season ago are forwards Zach Ryan ’21, Ousseni Bouda and Gabe Segal, as well as midfielders Will Richmond ’21 and Ryan Ludwick ’22, and defender Andrew Aprahamian ’21 M.A. ’22. Ryan finished his Stanford career with 31 goals and 13 assists, and is now playing on a homegrown contract for the New York Red Bulls of the MLS. Bouda entered the MLS SuperDraft after an impressive final season in which he recorded five goals and nine assists. Bouda was selected eighth overall by the San Jose Earthquakes. Segal, earlier this summer, signed with German Bundesliga side FC Kӧln, cutting short his collegiate career. 

Richmond signed a homegrown contract with the Earthquakes and will be sorely missed on the left side of Stanford’s midfield. Ludwick and Aprahamian, both key contributors as well in midfield and defense, respectively, graduated. 

This new edition of Cardinal men’s soccer will need to quickly figure out who will step up to contribute on the attacking side, but Gunn should still be able to rely on his experienced backline and midfield. Redshirt senior goalkeeper Matt Frank is back after starting 17 matches last season. Senior Keegan Hughes and junior Noah Adnan will once again anchor the defense as the center backs. Hughes played the most minutes of any Cardinal player last Fall and is a team captain. Senior Keegan Tingey returns at left back. Tingey has shown a great ability so far in his career at pushing down the field to attack with his crosses into the box. He will be relied upon to provide assists this season. Right back is open to competition after the graduation of Aprahamian. Juniors Conner Maurer and Ryan Dunn both received minutes there last season. 

“​​I feel that’s where we have some phenomenal experience. We absolutely need those players to really take ownership of the season and I think they are doing very well,” Gunn said. “You look at returning captain Keegan Hughes, [he] has been a dominant force and really should be a very mature leader in the central defense. Keegan Tingey has had a fantastic career, and we’re really hopeful that he has a senior year fitting of the career he has had here.” 

In the midfield, senior Cam Cilley and redshirt junior Mark Fisher return and bring toughness to the center of the field. Cilley finished with two assists last year while Fisher had three. Junior Layton Purchase is also set to play an increased role after starting four matches a season ago. So should sophomore Will Reilly, who received the most playing time of all the freshmen last season, scoring the winning goal against San Francisco in November. Junior Aiden Weaver has also shown some promise in a wide role. 

As for the forwards up front, redshirt junior Carlo Agostinelli is the only one who has seen any real minutes in the past. The Paris native started 10 matches last Fall, scoring a goal and adding five assists. Sophomore Jackson Kiil did not see the field last season, but started in both of the team’s exhibition matches this past week, and scored a goal. He may be primed for a starting role. 

Stanford has a promising freshman class to break in, and one that has Gunn excited. 

“I think the freshman class as a whole have come in amazingly well prepared. Very physically ready and by everything so far, very mentally ready. So I’m really happy with how they’ve approached it,” Gunn said. “I think that’s been a big positive, because it’s such a huge jump from club and high school to college. And so normally it’s a jump that is quite difficult for people. And I’m just thrilled to see how many of the players are really, really well prepared.” 

Among the new members of the team, midfielders Fletcher Bank, Will Cleary and Zach Bohane received starts during the exhibitions. Bank — whose twin brother Palmer is a defender on the team — hails from Bakersfield, Calif. and was responsible for a hockey assist in the exhibition against Sonoma State. 

Freshman forward Liam Doyle also made an instant impact, scoring in the opening exhibition. He figures to factor into the competition for minutes at the forward position. Fellow freshman forward Alfonso Tenconi-Gradillas had a successful youth career with Slough Town FC in England, earning the club’s golden boot last season. He also could be a major player for the Cardinal. 

The exhibitions provided Coach Gunn with an opportunity to test out lineups and see which players are ready to step up into bigger roles. Last Wednesday, the Cardinal beat Sonoma State 3-1. Kiil, Purchase and Doyle were the goalscorers. In the second exhibition, Stanford beat San Francisco 2-0. This time, Adnan and sophomore midfielder Shane de Flores made it onto the scoresheet. Both matches were played at Cagan Stadium. 

“We always start off the season with the foundations of defending,” Gunn said. “Then we work our way forwards in the game towards more and more attack-minded ideas. And so with the first competitive exhibition, we’re really looking for our attitude, our compete level and our desire to work hard. And if we get those things right, we feel there’s lots more coaching and lots more growth to [come].”

Even though exhibitions are a time for a coach to learn more about their team, Gunn only made one change in his starting lineup from the first match to the second, replacing Bohane with incumbent starter Fisher. We will see if he sticks with a similar lineup come the season opener. 

The Cardinal’s success on the pitch this season will be determined by them finding consistent goal scorers. The defense returns a group that has done a good job of limiting opposing attacks in the past, and key contributors in the midfield are back. Agostinelli and the younger forwards will ultimately decide the ceiling of this team. Nevertheless, there is one thing that has Gunn hopeful and confident about getting back into the NCAA Tournament this season: the team’s togetherness. 

“I think we’re much more together. I think we had some internal issues last year that really didn’t help the program,” Gunn said. “I’m very happy and excited to say that I think we’ve got a really great group of players who I think we can really work towards keeping them laser focused on performing to the best of their ability. I don’t think we did that last year.” 

Stanford will officially kick off its 2022 season this Thursday at home against Villanova (0-0, 0-0 Big East) at 7 p.m. PT. The match can also be viewed on the Pac-12 website.

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San Jose Earthquakes draft Ousseni Bouda with eighth pick https://stanforddaily.com/2022/01/12/san-jose-earthquakes-draft-ousseni-bouda-with-eighth-pick/ https://stanforddaily.com/2022/01/12/san-jose-earthquakes-draft-ousseni-bouda-with-eighth-pick/#respond Thu, 13 Jan 2022 06:20:05 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1190566 On Tuesday, Stanford men’s soccer junior forward Ousseni Bouda officially joined the professional ranks as he was selected by the San Jose Earthquakes with the eighth pick of the 2022 MLS SuperDraft. 

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On Tuesday, Stanford men’s soccer junior forward Ousseni Bouda officially joined the professional ranks when he was selected by the San Jose Earthquakes as the eighth pick of the 2022 MLS SuperDraft.

Bouda departs Stanford after a decorated, albeit shortened, three-year career on the Farm. In his freshman season, the Burkina Faso native started every match and scored five goals along with five assists. His efforts earned him Pac-12 Freshman of the Year as well as spots on the Top Drawer Soccer Best XI Freshman First Team and All-Pac-12 First Team.

He then missed all of his sophomore season due to injury. This past fall, he returned to spearhead the Cardinal’s frontline, finishing the season with five goals and nine assists as Stanford uncharacteristically missed the postseason. He was again named to the All-Pac-12 First Team.

One of the most dangerous forwards in all college soccer, Bouda signed a Generation Adidas contract last week. This type of contract is given to promising underclassmen who decide to forego the remainder of their college career and join the MLS. Only eight players were selected for a Generation Adidas contract this year.

The Stanford program will also have another player staying in the Bay Area with Bouda, as senior midfielder Will Richmond signed a homegrown contract with the Earthquakes on Monday. Richmond grew up in the Earthquakes’ academy, thus making him eligible to sign a contract with them right after college instead of going through the draft process.

In his four years for the Cardinal, Richmond tallied 10 goals and 11 assists, helping Stanford win the Pac-12 twice. He co-led the team in assists his junior season and was named to the All-Pac-12 First Team in his final two years in Palo Alto.

Head coach Jeremy Gunn’s program continues to churn out talent, as this is the seventh straight MLS SuperDraft in which a Cardinal player was selected.

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Big Clasico ends in draw, more than likely ends men’s soccer season https://stanforddaily.com/2021/11/12/big-clasico-ends-in-draw-more-than-likely-ends-mens-soccer-season/ https://stanforddaily.com/2021/11/12/big-clasico-ends-in-draw-more-than-likely-ends-mens-soccer-season/#respond Fri, 12 Nov 2021 22:24:55 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1187681 With the tie, the Cardinal finished fourth in the Pac-12 out of six teams. The Golden Bears end their campaign in dead last.

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Stanford men’s soccer (6-6-6, 2-4-4 Pac-12) wrapped up its regular season with a 1-1 draw against rival Cal (3-9-3, 1-6-1 Pac-12). With the tie, the Cardinal finished fourth in the Pac-12 out of six teams. The Golden Bears end their campaign in dead last. This was a devastating result for Stanford’s postseason hopes, as they will now most likely be on the outside looking in when the NCAA Tournament bracket is released on Monday. 

“Bitterly disappointed with the tie today. I think we started well, looked the better team, then we gave up a goal which gave Cal a bit more confidence,” said head coach Jeremy Gunn after the draw. “I think a win today would have put us in a fantastic position for the playoffs but I think the tie now makes us definitely a long shot.” 

As Gunn stated, the Cardinal started out positively but found themselves behind after not too long. In the 19th minute, Cal’s fifth-year defender Christopher Grey received the ball just outside the box, tapped the ball around Stanford sophomore defender Ryan Dunn and swiftly flicked it past the keeper into the back of the net. 

The one goal lead would last for the rest of the half. In the opening period, Cal outshot Stanford 6-5. 

After the break, the Cardinal struck quickly. Junior forward Gabe Segal picked out a cross from the right side of the field that looked like it was going to float out of play. However, junior forward Ousseni Bouda got his head to the ball on the end line, directing his shot to the opposite post and it went in. Bouda closes the regular season with a final contribution of five goals and nine assists. Stanford was back in the match. 

The Cardinal would fight for the rest of the match for the go-ahead goal, yet to no avail. In the second half, Stanford outshot Cal 14-0 and also won that statline in both overtime periods. 

With their season most likely over, the Cardinal players and coaches alike will be left figuring out where exactly things went wrong. Just last season, the team won the Pac-12 title in dramatic fashion against Washington and was a high seed in the NCAA Tournament. The program also returned nine of 11 starters from that team while also re-introducing Bouda, arguably the team’s most talented player. 

The team’s defense was solid throughout this fall, but its attack did not quite hit the same heights as it did the previous spring. Redshirt senior Zach Ryan, last year’s Pac-12 Player of the Year, only scored five goals this campaign, half of his 2020 total in which he played three less games than he did this term. Segal and senior midfielder Will Richmond also did not put up the same numbers as they did in 2020. 

It remains to be seen who exactly the Cardinal will lose from their current roster, but there is no doubt that there is plenty of talent still in the program. Gunn has proven that he can consistently keep his program near the top of the sport, with this 2021 season likely just being a blip from the usual standard. Pending the results of Monday’s selection show, the next time Stanford returns to action could be in the 2022 season.

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Men’s soccer earns hard-fought draw against No. 4 Washington https://stanforddaily.com/2021/11/01/mens-soccer-earns-hard-fought-draw-against/ https://stanforddaily.com/2021/11/01/mens-soccer-earns-hard-fought-draw-against/#respond Tue, 02 Nov 2021 02:52:08 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1186996 Stanford men’s soccer (5-6-5, 2-4-3 Pac-12) traveled up to the Pacific Northwest this weekend and left with a draw against one of the top teams in the nation. The Cardinal tied No. 4 Washington (12-1-1, 4-1-1 Pac-12) 0-0 after neither side was able to score in regulation or the two overtime periods.

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Stanford men’s soccer (5-6-5, 2-4-3 Pac-12) traveled up to the Pacific Northwest this weekend and left with a draw against one of the top teams in the nation. The Cardinal tied No. 4 Washington (12-1-1, 4-1-1 Pac-12) 0-0 after neither side was able to score in regulation or the two overtime periods.

Stanford’s defense and its goalkeeper — redshirt junior Matt Frank — were a large reason the team was able to come away without a loss.

The Huskies were in control of the run of play for most of the afternoon, outshooting the Cardinal 14-8. The best chance of the first half, however, fell to Stanford. Sophomore defender Noah Adnan had a header that was just wide of the goal in the 34th minute.

Frank and the defense showed their mettle in the second half, repelling attack after attack from Washington. The highlight of the half again came from Adnan: the Huskies had what looked like a clear scoring opportunity, but the Maryland native made an impressive come-from-behind slide tackle to keep his team level.

The teams were still knotted at zero by the end of regulation, so overtime ensued. The first overtime period was uneventful, with neither side recording a shot. The second overtime was slightly better, with a shot apiece, but a goal was still nowhere to be found.

In the end, the Cardinal did well to come away without a loss against a top-five team in the country. Next on the schedule is a trip to fellow Bay Area school San Francisco on Thursday night. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. PT.

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Men’s soccer ties UCLA on Senior Day https://stanforddaily.com/2021/10/24/mens-soccer-ties-ucla/ https://stanforddaily.com/2021/10/24/mens-soccer-ties-ucla/#respond Mon, 25 Oct 2021 04:44:02 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1186698 As the men’s soccer team (5-5-4, 2-3-2 Pac-12) took on their cross-state rival No. 22 UCLA (8-5-1, 3-3-1 Pac-12) for senior day, the weather at Cagan Stadium proved to be the deciding factor in the match. It was the persistent downpour and strong gusts of wind that forced the referees to call the game at the end of regulation as a 1-1 draw due to unsafe field conditions.

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As the men’s soccer team (5-5-4, 2-3-2 Pac-12) took on its cross-state rival No. 22 UCLA (8-5-1, 3-3-1 Pac-12) for Senior Day, the weather at Cagan Stadium proved to be the deciding factor in the match. It was the persistent downpour and strong gusts of wind that forced the referees to call the game at the end of regulation as a 1-1 draw due to unsafe field conditions.

To start the game off, the two California teams were getting acquainted with the unfamiliar rain as neither team was able to create many opportunities. Just as they would for the rest of the day, players were struggling to gain traction on the field, slipping left and right and misjudging passes as the ball either skidded longer than anticipated or came to a halt in a large puddle.

This remained the story of the match until the 30th minute, when junior forward Gabe Segal earned himself a yellow card after colliding with UCLA’s senior goalkeeper Justin Garces. The ensuing scuffle would set the tone for the rest of the match, as tension continued to brew through hard fouls and physical play.

For the final 15 minutes of the first half the Bruins controlled possession but only granted themselves one major opportunity to score, which was denied due to a magnificent save by Stanford’s redshirt junior goalkeeper Matt Frank.

As the whistle blew for halftime and the rain grew stronger, both teams knew they were in for a tough match. Groundskeepers were sweeping out the torn up grass from in front of each goal as the field was speckled with mud and areas were filled with standing water. 

To start off the second half, the Cardinal dominated the ball and put pressure on the Bruin defense, holding possession in the box, but were unable to come away with any scores.

However, the energy in the stadium began to shift in the 60th minute. Several Bruins players were voicing their frustrations following an uncalled handball in the box, as well as a no-call which would have earned them a penalty shot.

UCLA maintained possession for a long stretch, providing the team plenty of opportunities — none of which it was able to capitalize on. In the 63rd minute, UCLA’s sophomore forward Grayson Doody whiffed on a wide open goal thanks to the unconventional path that the ball took in the heavy rain. Shortly after, in the 72nd minute, a pass across the box landed the ball in a large puddle, throwing off the Bruins yet again and causing them to miss off of the crossbar.

It was finally in the 73rd minute that a series of headers enabled UCLA to crack the scoreboard with a goal by redshirt freshman forward Jose Contell. In celebration, all members of the Bruins proceeded to dive headfirst, sliding many feet across the pitch as they gave themselves a 1-0 lead over the Cardinal.

With just 10 minutes remaining in regulation, it felt as though UCLA had this one in the bag. “Let’s go Bruins” chants emerged from the stands, and the gloominess of the weather made it feel as though there was little hope for a Cardinal comeback. 

Lo and behold, however, Stanford netted the equalizer in the 82nd minute thanks to sophomore defender Noah Adnan, who scored off of the rebound after junior defender Keegan Hughes had his shot attempt blocked.

Sitting tied at one goal apiece, both teams continued to fight. In a play that perhaps best sums up the game for both ends, UCLA had an opportunity to put the game away in the 87th minute with a breakaway, only for both the Bruin attacker and Cardinal defender to slip on the turf and fall down.

Neither team would be presented with much of an opportunity through the rest of regulation, and their tie held through the whistle. Both teams headed back to the benches to recoup for an overtime period, only to be informed that the head referee had decided to call the game. Due to unsafe field conditions, the match would conclude in a 1-1 draw after just 90 minutes of play.

To finish off the regular season, the Cardinal are slated for a four-game road trip, starting with a bout against the Oregon State Beavers. Kickoff is set for Thursday at 3 p.m. PT in Corvallis, Ore.

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Men’s soccer looks for revenge against UCLA https://stanforddaily.com/2021/10/23/mens-soccer-looks-for-revenge/ https://stanforddaily.com/2021/10/23/mens-soccer-looks-for-revenge/#respond Sun, 24 Oct 2021 05:06:44 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1186652 In their final home game of the regular season, the Stanford men’s soccer team (5-5-3, 2-3-1 Pac-12) will look to avenge their Pac-12 season opener loss when they take on the UCLA Bruins (8-5-0, 3-3-0 Pac-12) on Sunday afternoon.  

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In their final home game of the regular season, the Stanford men’s soccer team (5-5-3, 2-3-1 Pac-12) will look to avenge their Pac-12 season opener loss when they take on the UCLA Bruins (8-5-0, 3-3-0 Pac-12) on Sunday afternoon.  

In the two teams’ first bout this season, the Cardinal sustained a 2-0 loss, breaking a 10-game win streak against the Bruins and leaving them with their first loss against the program since 2013. The match set the tone for each of the teams’ regular seasons.  

Following a 2020 Pac-12 championship, Stanford’s 2021 campaign has left a lot to be desired. Sitting with a Pac-12 record of 2-3-1, the Cardinal’s postseason hopes remain in question. On the other hand, UCLA holds a conference record of 3-3, which is an improvement from last year, when they finished with the second-worst record in the conference.  

While the Cardinal have fallen short of expectations this year and the Bruins have exceeded theirs, each team’s most recent games tell a different story. 

Stanford is coming off of a dominant 4-0 victory over San Diego State (7-4-2, 2-4-0 Pac-12). The Cardinal were led by redshirt senior forward Zach Ryan. The 2020 Pac-12 Player of the Year netted two goals, making him the third highest goal-scorer in Pac-12 history. Sophomore defender Ryan Dunn also made a name for himself in his first career start, providing the Cardinal with both his first career assist and goal.  

As for UCLA, they enter Sunday’s game following a 2-1 loss to California (3-8-2, 1-5 Pac-12), which gave the Golden Bears their only win of conference play this season. In Stanford’s matchup with Cal earlier this year, the Cardinal took home a commanding 5-0 victory.  

Although UCLA is coming off a loss, they have many bright stars to look out for come Sunday, namely freshman forward Aaron Edwards, who took home the College Soccer News National Player of the Week and Pac-12 Player of the Week awards just last week. 

Sunday’s matchup will be a crucial game for the Pac-12 standings, as a Stanford victory will place them half a game ahead of UCLA, good for sole possession of third place in the Pac-12. 

Kick off is scheduled for 3 pm P.T. on Sunday at Cagan Stadium.

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Men’s soccer looks to revive postseason chances against San Diego State https://stanforddaily.com/2021/10/21/mens-soccer-looks-to-revive-postseason-chances/ https://stanforddaily.com/2021/10/21/mens-soccer-looks-to-revive-postseason-chances/#respond Thu, 21 Oct 2021 07:00:56 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1186528 After a brief hiatus from Pac-12 competition, the Stanford men’s soccer team (4-5-3, 1-3-1 Pac-12) will resume conference play as they host the San Diego State Aztecs (7-3-2, 2-3-0 Pac-12) on Thursday.

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After a brief hiatus from Pac-12 competition, the Stanford men’s soccer team (4-5-3, 1-3-1 Pac-12) will resume conference play as they host the San Diego State Aztecs (7-3-2, 2-3-0 Pac-12) on Thursday.

This season has not been a standard one for head coach Jeremy Gunn’s group, as evidenced by the Cardinal’s record. Just a season removed from a Pac-12 title, Stanford’s decline has been startling given the side returns nine of 11 starters, including reigning Pac-12 Player of the Year and redshirt senior forward Zach Ryan. The Cardinal’s eight year NCAA Tournament streak is in jeopardy. 

Nevertheless, there have still been some big performers on the squad this year. Junior forward Ousseni Bouda leads the team in goals and assists, with four and nine apiece, respectively. Ryan is close behind, with three goals and five assists of his own. Rounding off Stanford’s attack this season has been senior midfielder Will Richmond. The Piedmont, Calif. native has recorded three goals and two assists. 

On the defensive side, juniors Keegan Tingey and Keegan Hughes, sophomore Noah Adnan and redshirt senior Andrew Aprahamian make up the backline. Adnan has shown himself to be a threat off of set pieces, finding the back of the net twice so far this Fall. Redshirt sophomore Mark Fisher — last season’s Pac-12 Freshman of the Year — and junior Cam Cilley have been stalwarts in the midfield. Cilley was forced to miss Saturday’s match against Denver due to the two yellow cards he picked up against Oregon State, but he will make his return against San Diego State.

Although San Diego State sits ahead of the Cardinal in the conference standings, they have struggled recently. The Aztecs have dropped their last three Pac-12 games, to UCLA, Oregon State and Washington. This week’s game versus the Cardinal will be the Aztecs’ fifth straight game on the road. San Diego State has been led by sophomore midfielder Andre Ochoa, who has a team-leading five goals on the season. Freshman Alex Hjælmof and senior Tevenn Roux have also added a goal and three assists apiece. 

This will be the second meeting of the season between the Cardinal and the Aztecs. The first meeting ended with a Roux goal in the second overtime to give San Diego State a 1-0 win. Stanford will surely be looking to get one back over its Pac-12 foe.  

Despite the Aztecs’ recent struggles, they still pose a threat to the Cardinal. Stanford will need its attack to be firing on all cylinders, and its backline to come ready to play. Stanford needs to take advantage of every opportunity it can get if it wants to get back to the NCAA Tournament.   

Kick off at Cagan Stadium is set for 8 p.m. PT on Thursday.

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Men’s soccer reaches third draw of the season against Denver https://stanforddaily.com/2021/10/17/mens-soccer-reaches-third-draw-of-the-season-against-denver/ https://stanforddaily.com/2021/10/17/mens-soccer-reaches-third-draw-of-the-season-against-denver/#respond Mon, 18 Oct 2021 04:48:42 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1186293 Things were looking slow in the first half for the Cardinal men’s soccer team (4-5-3, 1-3-1 Pac-12) and the Denver Pioneers (8-2-2, 3-0-0 Pac-12), with no goals scored on either end of the field. However, while the start of the second half was solid for Stanford with one goal under its belt early on, the Pioneers were able to secure a draw with a goal of their own in the 78th minute.

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Things were looking slow in the first half for the Cardinal men’s soccer team (4-5-3, 1-3-1 Pac-12) and the Denver Pioneers (8-2-2, 3-0-0 Pac-12), with no goals scored on either end of the field. However, while the start of the second half was solid for Stanford with one goal under its belt early on, the Pioneers were able to secure a draw with a goal of their own in the 78th minute. Saturday’s result marks the third draw for the men’s soccer program this season.

Throughout the first half, both teams were presented with chances to get ahead, with three shot attempts for Stanford and two for Denver. When the Pioneers had the right opportunity to score a goal near the end of the first half, it was redshirt junior goalkeeper Matt Frank who made a direct save away from the net and allowed the Cardinal to head into the second half still with a clean slate. 

The momentum after the 45-minute mark leaned towards the Cardinal’s favor. Just over six minutes into the second period, junior forward Ousseni Bouda found his chance as he saw his teammate, junior defender Keegan Hughes, run toward the box. Bouda launched the ball forward to the bottom corner, assisting Hughes in a goal scored at the 51:17 mark. This gave Hughes his first goal and Bouda his ninth assist of the season.

The opening goal gave the Cardinal the lead, but the Pioneers continued to play tough. While Stanford continued to hold possession of the ball, the Pioneers counter-attacked on an opportunity that led them to earn a penalty kick in the 78th minute. Denver senior midfielder Stefan Deleone at first was unsuccessful as his penalty shot was deflected off the hands of Frank. However, a rebound from Frank’s save allowed a second chance for Deleone. He would not be denied a second time and scored a goal for the Pioneers.

“I thought it was very unfortunate to give away a penalty at that point in time because Denver didn’t really look like they were going to break through to equalize,” said head coach Jeremy Gunn. “In a tough moment the team continued to battle on and came away with a very honorable tie.”

This was the first time the Cardinal men’s soccer team tied with the Denver Pioneers. In the team’s 22-year history, Stanford has never lost against Denver.

The Cardinal will return home to Cagan Stadium for a Thursday night game against San Diego State on Oct. 21 at 8 p.m. PT.

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Ten-man men’s soccer holds on for draw against Beavers https://stanforddaily.com/2021/10/10/mens-soccer-holds-on/ https://stanforddaily.com/2021/10/10/mens-soccer-holds-on/#respond Mon, 11 Oct 2021 04:46:06 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1185997 Things were looking bleak for the Cardinal men’s soccer team (4-5-2, 1-3-1 Pac-12) halfway through the first half after the Beavers took a 2-0 lead off of a penalty kick. Stanford battled back though, earning a 2-2 draw against No. 15 Oregon State (7-1-2, 3-0-1 Pac-12). Redshirt sophomore forward Carlo Agostinelli and junior forward Gabe Segal were the goalscorers for the Cardinal.

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Things were looking bleak for the Cardinal men’s soccer team (4-5-2, 1-3-1 Pac-12) halfway through the first half after No. 15 Oregon State (7-1-2, 3-0-1 Pac-12) took a 2-0 lead off of a penalty kick. Stanford battled back though, earning a 2-2 draw against the Beavers thanks to goals from redshirt sophomore forward Carlo Agostinelli and junior forward Gabe Segal. 

The visitors started with a bang. Oregon State redshirt senior midfielder Tyrone Mondi flicked the ball into the box towards the direction of graduate student forward Adrian Molina-Diaz, who swiftly found the back of the net in the third minute. 

Twelve minutes later, Stanford redshirt senior forward Zach Ryan scored a goal, but it was called back for offsides, denying the Cardinal a chance to level the score. 

In the 23rd minute, junior defender Keegan Hughes got whistled for a handball in the box and subsequently received a yellow card. Oregon State junior midfielder Sofiane Djeffal stepped forward to take the penalty kick, blasting the ball into the left side of the net. The Beavers had gone up 2-0. 

Facing a top-15 team, Stanford could have folded then and there, but the Cardinal recovered and controlled the run of the play for the rest of the half. Agostinelli provided the path back into the match in the 34th minute. Ryan intercepted an errant pass in the midfield and played the ball to junior defender Keegan Tingey. Tingey then picked out Agostinelli in the box, where the London native would head the ball home. It was Agostinelli’s first career college goal. 

Stanford scored again just two minutes later. Segal fired a shot at Oregon State’s junior goalkeeper Adrian Fernandez, but Fernandez pushed the ball into the side of the net. The score was level and redshirt sophomore midfielder Mark Fisher was credited with the assist. 

Neither team would score again. By halftime, Stanford had outshot the Beavers six to five. 

The second half was a back-and-forth affair. Junior forward Ousseni Bouda had the best chance of the period, a fierce shot from distance that forced a great save out of Fernandez. In the 80th minute, the Cardinal had a credible handball claim; the ball appeared to hit an Oregon State defender’s hand in the middle of play, but the possible error went unnoticed by the referee, so play continued.

The biggest moment of the second half was junior midfielder Cam Cilley’s second yellow card, which he received in the 87th minute. With just 10 players on the field for the rest of regulation — and eventually two overtime periods — Stanford had to play more defensively. 

Both overtime periods were much like the second half, with both teams enjoying possession, but Oregon State getting more of it due to their one-man advantage. The Cardinal outshot the Beavers 15-10, but Stanford’s struggle to capitalize on its opportunities resulted in the score still being tied 2-2 at the final buzzer. Nevertheless, it was a good result for Stanford against a ranked opponent. 

Next up on the schedule is a trip to Colorado to take on Denver next Saturday at 3 p.m. PT.

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Bouda, men’s soccer dominate Cal in Big Clásico https://stanforddaily.com/2021/10/03/bouda-mens-soccer-dominate-cal/ https://stanforddaily.com/2021/10/03/bouda-mens-soccer-dominate-cal/#respond Mon, 04 Oct 2021 05:26:47 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1185746 Coming off a tough double overtime loss to Saint Mary’s, Stanford men’s soccer (4-4-1, 1-2-0 Pac-12) got the pick-me-up it needed, thoroughly thrashing Bay Area rival Cal (2-6-1, 0-3-0 Pac-12) 5-0 in this season’s first Big Clásico.

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Coming off a tough double overtime loss to Saint Mary’s, Stanford men’s soccer (4-4-1, 1-2-0 Pac-12) got the pick-me-up it needed, thoroughly thrashing Bay Area rival Cal (2-6-1, 0-3-0 Pac-12) 5-0 in this season’s first Big Clásico. Junior forward Ousseni Bouda was a force for the Cardinal, finishing the match with two goals and two assists.

Senior midfielder Will Richmond had two goals of his own, while redshirt sophomore midfielder Mark Fisher scored the opener. 

It only took Stanford three minutes to get the proceedings started. Redshirt senior forward Zach Ryan played a pass forward for Bouda, who flicked it back to the open Ryan. His shot was blocked by Cal’s goalkeeper but fell for junior defender Keegan Tingey on the left side of the box. Tingey’s shot careened off of the right goalpost, falling for another Cardinal player; this time, Fisher stepped forward and blasted the ball into the back of the net to get Stanford on the board.

The day would only get better for the home team from there. 

In the 17th minute, Stanford earned a free kick outside of the box. Bouda found Richmond off of the set piece, and Richmond flicked the ball towards the goal where sophomore defender Noah Adnan headed the ball past the keeper. The Cardinal had doubled their lead. 

Six minutes later, Richmond was at the center of things again. The Piedmont, Calif. native’s shot was well-saved by Golden Bear redshirt sophomore keeper Collin Travasos in a one-on-one scenario. In the 28th minute, Richmond would hit the post after a well-placed cross from redshirt sophomore forward Carlo Agostinelli. 

10 minutes later, it was Cal’s turn to attack, forcing Cardinal redshirt junior goalie Matt Frank into two quick successive saves. The Golden Bears would come to rue that missed opportunity as Stanford turned around and added its third goal. It was none other than Bouda creating the chance, as he played a low cross into the box where Richmond lifted the ball into the roof of the net. 

Stanford took that 3-0 lead into halftime, outshooting its rival 9-4 in the opening period. 

After the break, the Cardinal again dominated possession. It took them fifteen minutes to add to the scoreline. This time, Bouda, a Burkina Faso native, turned from assist man to goalscorer, getting his third goal of the season and Stanford’s fourth of the game. 

Two minutes later, Bouda came back for more. He received a pass outside the left side of the box from Richmond and dribbled towards the top of the box before unleashing a low shot that the keeper could not reach. A true man-of-the-match performance from Stanford’s top assist man. 

Cal would get another opportunity to score. The Golden Bears earned a penalty kick in the 72nd minute. Sophomore forward Nate Carrasco stepped up to take it and fitted the ball past Frank for what everyone thought was Cal’s first tally. However, the referee called it back for encroachment on the penalty area, so Carrasco had to retake it. Opting to shoot it to the same side he previously had, Carrasco’s second attempt was saved by Frank, denying the Golden Bears a goal. Frank had a huge performance for Stanford, stepping up time and time again. 

Stanford will now try to take this newfound momentum into the second half of its schedule. Next up on the docket is a home match against Washington on Thursday. It will be a rematch of last season’s Pac-12 Championship-deciding game. Kick off is set for 7 p.m. PT at Cagan Stadium.

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Heartbreaker at Cagan: Men’s soccer falls in overtime https://stanforddaily.com/2021/09/28/mens-soccer-falls-in-overtime/ https://stanforddaily.com/2021/09/28/mens-soccer-falls-in-overtime/#respond Tue, 28 Sep 2021 17:34:39 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1185509 Monday night, Stanford men’s soccer (3-4-1, 0-2-0 Pac-12) controlled most of the possession and had more attacking chances than their opponent, yet the team was not able to turn any of those opportunities into goals, ultimately losing in overtime to Saint Mary’s (7-3-0, 0-0-0 WCC) 1-0.

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Monday night, Stanford men’s soccer (3-4-1, 0-2-0 Pac-12) controlled most of the possession and had more attacking chances than their opponent, yet the team was not able to turn any of those opportunities into goals, ultimately losing in overtime to Saint Mary’s (7-3-0, 0-0-0 WCC) 1-0. Senior midfielder Philippe Van Der Lof scored the winner for the Gaels in the 106th minute.

The Cardinal’s starting lineup was left unchanged from its previous match, a 2-0 victory over UC Irvine on Sept. 23.

Stanford controlled the run of play in the first half, outshooting Saint Mary’s 8-3. Senior midfielder Will Richmond, redshirt senior forward Zach Ryan and junior forward Ousseni Bouda were responsible for many of the Cardinal’s positive plays, as has become the norm this season.

After the break, Stanford maintained its position as an offensive threat on the field. Gael fifth-year goalkeeper Nicholas Lapinid was forced into making three second-half saves. As time ticked on, Saint Mary’s offense started to pick up and create chances of its own. In the 78th minute, sophomore midfielder Cade Cowan found himself on a breakaway with only Stanford redshirt junior goalkeeper Matt Frank to beat. Frank stepped up in a big way for the Cardinal, however, making a save that kept the teams deadlocked at zero.

The match then went into sudden-death overtime. Both teams traded chances in the first overtime period, but ultimately nothing was doing for either team. After a quick break, the match continued into a second overtime period. This 10-minute period only lasted five.

Off a corner, Gael freshman defender Jayden Smileski found Van Der Lof, who slotted the ball past Frank for the smash and grab victory.

The Cardinal now have a losing record. They will stay on campus for a return to conference play against rival Cal on Oct. 3 at 5 p.m. PT. Big Clasico will be shown on the Pac-12 Network.

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Men’s soccer returns home, ends losing skid https://stanforddaily.com/2021/09/24/mens-soccer-returns-home/ https://stanforddaily.com/2021/09/24/mens-soccer-returns-home/#respond Sat, 25 Sep 2021 04:00:38 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1185360 Stanford men’s soccer (3-3-1, 0-2-0 Pac-12) desperately needed to get back in the win column after dropping its first two Pac-12 matches of the season, and not recording a victory since Sept. 6. In a break from conference play, the Cardinal did what they needed to do, defeating UC Irvine (2-6-1, 0-0-0 Big West) 2-0 at Cagan Stadium. 

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Stanford men’s soccer (3-3-1, 0-2-0 Pac-12) desperately needed to get back in the win column after dropping its first two matches of Pac-12 play and having not recorded a victory since Sept. 6. In a break from conference competition, the Cardinal did exactly what they needed to do, defeating UC Irvine (2-6-1, 0-0-0 Big West) 2-0 at Cagan Stadium.

Head coach Jeremy Gunn made one change to his last starting lineup, going with redshirt sophomore forward Carlo Agostinelli in place of junior forward Gabe Segal.

Play evolved into high gear quickly. Senior midfielder Will Richmond had a shot blocked by the UCI goalkeeper in the first minute. The ball fell for junior defender Keegan Tingey just outside of the box, but the Danville, Calif., native’s shot flew wide right of the goal.

Stanford kept pushing for the opener. Four minutes later, junior forward Ousseni Bouda’s free kick tapped past the keeper by redshirt senior defender Andrew Aprahamian. Before this season, Aprahamian had never scored a goal for the Cardinal; this season, he already has two.

In the 19th minute, it was the Anteaters’ turn to threaten the home team. Graduate student forward Ryan Khedoo’s shot struck the top of the crossbar — a close call for Cardinal redshirt junior goalkeeper Matt Frank. 

Play would go back and forth for the next period of the game, until the 52nd minute when Stanford had another attacking chance. Richmond fired a close shot at UCI’s keeper, but it was well-saved. Six minutes later, redshirt senior forward Zach Ryan missed a shot from the middle of the box. Anteater freshman goalkeeper Luke Pruter used his leg to deflect the strike. Another chance would come in the 64th minute. Richmond made a run down the left side of the pitch before crossing it into the middle of the box where Ryan scuffed his attempt wide of the net.

Just a minute later, the Cardinal’s attacking trio was back at it again. Bouda sent in a cross from the right side of the field toward Ryan, who redirected the ball to Richmond. The senior was able to calmly slot the ball home to double his team’s lead. The insurance goal had been found.

UCI tried to look for a way back into the match, but to no avail. Stanford managed to create two more close-scoring chances, but failed to capitalize, with sophomore midfielder Aiden Weaver missing a shot in the 75th minute and a header attempt from sophomore defender Noah Adnan also flying wide of the mark.

After a rough start to conference play, the Cardinal can take a renewed confidence into their next match against Saint Mary’s on Monday at home. The match will kick off at 7 p.m. PT.

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Men’s soccer survives late push, defeats Gauchos at Cagan https://stanforddaily.com/2021/09/07/mens-soccer-defeats-gauchos/ https://stanforddaily.com/2021/09/07/mens-soccer-defeats-gauchos/#respond Tue, 07 Sep 2021 20:27:12 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1184875 Head coach Jeremy Gunn stuck with the same lineup that saw his squad get its first win of the season four days prior against Pacific, and his decision paid off. No. 25 Stanford men’s soccer (2-1-0, 0-0-0 Pac-12) defeated UC Santa Barbara (2-1-1, 0-0-0 Big West) 2-1, holding off a late push from the Gauchos.

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Head coach Jeremy Gunn stuck with the same lineup that saw his squad get its first win of the season four days prior against Pacific, and his decision paid off. No. 25 Stanford men’s soccer (2-1-0, 0-0-0 Pac-12) defeated UC Santa Barbara (2-1-1, 0-0-0 Big West) 2-1, holding off a late push from the Gauchos.

Redshirt senior forward Zach Ryan and junior forward Ousseni Bouda were the two goalscorers for the Cardinal, while junior forward Thaabit Baartman found the back of the net for UCSB. 

Playing in Cagan Stadium for its home opener, Stanford got the proceedings started early. Junior midfielder Cam Cilley played Bouda out wide, who then picked out Ryan in the middle of the box. All Ryan had to do was pass the ball into the net for the easy finish and 1-0 lead. Last year’s Pac-12 Player of the Year is now one goal away from moving into a tie for 10th all-time in goals for the Cardinal. 

Eight minutes later, Cilley was making things happen again as the opposing defenders let him make a free run into the box. However, his shot was unable to find the goal, hitting the side netting. Stanford thought they had doubled their lead in the 14th minute when senior midfielder Will Richmond’s cross made it to Ryan, but the play was called back for offsides. 

In the 19th minute, Bouda’s shot from outside of the box forced UCSB sophomore goalkeeper Leroy Zeller to punch the ball away from goal. 

By halftime, the score was still 1-0 with Stanford outshooting the Gauchos 10-1. 

The Cardinal came out of the break ready to play and looking to attack. In the 50th minute, Bouda again unleashed a shot from outside of the box, this time it found its way across the keeper’s body and into the left side of the goal. Stanford had found its second. 

The next big chance would come 15 minutes later as the Cardinal found themselves on a counter attack. Ryan played a through ball into the box to Richmond who had his attempt saved at point blank range by Zeller. 

Things took a turn for the worse in the 72nd minute when Ryan fell awkwardly on his shoulder and the medical staff had to be called to the field. He was able to walk off the field without aid, even jawing with a player on the opposing team, but did not return to the match. He was seen after the match with an ice patch on the shoulder. 

From that point on, UCSB upped the ante and went on the attack. Five minutes after Ryan’s injury, Gaucho sophomore midfielder Nemo Philipp forced a great save out of Cardinal redshirt junior goalkeeper Matt Frank with his shot from the right side of the box. 

UCSB kept pushing and they were eventually rewarded for their efforts. In the 80th minute, sophomore forward Finn Ballard McBride got on the end of a long ball and had an open look at goal, but he decided to lay it off for his teammate Baartman, who was able to finish easily. The Gauchos had found a way back into the match with just 10 minutes remaining. 

The Southern California school nearly equalized in the last minute as Baartman’s shot took a deflection that forced a crucial save from Frank. Nevertheless, the Cardinal were able to hold on for the victory as they moved to 2-1-0 on the year. The final shot total was 15-10 in favor of Stanford, but UCSB outshot the Cardinal 9-5 in the second period. 

The question now for Gunn’s side is the health and availability of Zach Ryan. For the Cardinal’s sake, fans should hope he will not be out for an extended period of time, as he and Bouda have formed an elite partnership at the top of the pitch in the Cardinal’s first three matches. Stanford will be back in action Saturday at 7 p.m. PT to take on San Jose State at home. It will be the team’s last home game before students move in for Fall Quarter — the first time the entire student body is expected to return to campus since March 2020.

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Men’s soccer earns first win in high-scoring fashion https://stanforddaily.com/2021/09/03/mens-soccer-earns-first-win-in-high-scoring-fashion/ https://stanforddaily.com/2021/09/03/mens-soccer-earns-first-win-in-high-scoring-fashion/#respond Fri, 03 Sep 2021 21:51:43 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1184778 After dropping its season opener on the road in Dallas against SMU, No. 25 Stanford men’s soccer (1-1, 0-0 Pac-12) continued their road trip, this time notching their first win of the season 4-0 against Pacific (1-1, 0-0 WCC).

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After dropping their season opener on the road in Dallas against SMU, No. 25 Stanford men’s soccer (1-1, 0-0 Pac-12) continued their road trip, this time notching their first win of the season 4-0 against Pacific (1-1, 0-0 WCC). It was a repeat scoreline of last season’s season opener between the Cardinal and Tigers.

Redshirt senior forward Zach Ryan, junior forward Ousseni Bouda, redshirt senior defender Andrew Aprahamian and senior midfielder Will Richmond were the goalscorers for Stanford.

Head coach Jeremy Gunn made three changes in his starting 11 from the SMU match, swapping out sophomore Eliot Jones in goal for redshirt junior Matt Frank, as well as bringing in sophomore defender Conner Maurer and sophomore midfielder Layton Purchase for junior defender Keegan Tingey and junior forward Gabe Segal. 

The Cardinal did not need much time to settle into the match, striking in the eighth minute. Bouda sent in a free kick toward the box, where Ryan was able to head home for the opener. Three minutes later, junior midfielder Cam Cilley drove a shot just wide of the right side of the goalpost. Stanford would continue to threaten Pacific’s defense.

The next chance, however, came from the Tigers. A ball flashed across the face of the goal, but Pacific senior forward Mathias Saether was unable to latch onto it as he swung and missed. The Cardinal dodged a potential equalizer. The Tigers would come to rue that missed opportunity just moments later.

In the 28th minute, Richmond dribbled down the sideline before playing a cross into the box. Bouda smashed the ball with his left foot into the bottom right corner of the goal, affording Stanford a comfortable lead. Bouda’s re-introduction paid dividends for Gunn, after the Burkina Faso native missed all of last season with an injury.

Ten minutes later, Bouda sent a cross into the box, yet it was cleared by a Tiger defender. Aprahamian was there to fire in a long-range shot that took a deflection and found its way into the back of the net. It was the defender’s first career goal in a Stanford jersey. The Cardinal took a 3-0 lead into halftime.

Both teams started slow after the break, unable to generate good chances. In the 69th minute, Richmond made his way into the box and struck a shot that hit off of a Pacific defender’s back and rolled into the goal. The keeper had dived the other way, following the original trajectory of the ball. That goal would be the nightcap for the Cardinal.

With the game essentially won, tempers flared in the 83rd minute — Saether and junior defender Keegan Hughes both earned yellow cards.

Stanford will be back in action on Sept. 6 at 7 p.m. PT against UC Santa Barbara (1-0-1) in the team’s first home match of the season. The Cardinal will be looking to break .500 and restart their climb up the national rankings.

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No. 4 seed men’s soccer upset in Cary by North Carolina https://stanforddaily.com/2021/05/06/no-4-seed-mens-soccer-upset/ https://stanforddaily.com/2021/05/06/no-4-seed-mens-soccer-upset/#respond Fri, 07 May 2021 04:38:20 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1182135 There were no late-game heroics this time around from Stanford men's soccer (10-3-1, 7-2-1 Pac-12) Thursday evening in Cary, N.C. The No. 4 overall seed Cardinal struggled to break down a strong North Carolina (8-4-4, 7-2-3 ACC) defense, eventually falling victim to the Tar Heels’ upset bid by a final score of 1-0.

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There were no late-game heroics this time around from Stanford men’s soccer (10-3-1, 7-2-1 Pac-12) Thursday evening in Cary, N.C. The No. 4 overall seed Cardinal struggled to break down a strong North Carolina (8-4-4, 7-2-3 ACC) defense, eventually falling victim to the Tar Heels’ upset bid by a final score of 1-0. 

The match was a physical one, with a few hard fouls from both sides and each team with a player who received a yellow card. 

Stanford got the proceedings started with the opening kickoff and saw most of the possession early on, but it was UNC who had the first chance of the match. In the seventh minute, a cross was whipped into the box right in front of Cardinal redshirt junior goalkeeper Andrew Thomas, who was able to push the ball out of harm’s way. At the other end of the field, junior midfielder Will Richmond’s shot attempt was hit over the goal. 

Just five minutes later, the Tar Heels found the opener. Milo Garvanian sent in a corner kick that Joe Pickering was able to get on the end of and head into the goal, past the outstretched fingertips of Thomas. It was Pickering’s first-ever goal for UNC. 

The rest of the half saw the two teams trade possession back and forth. Stanford was unable to generate any substantive attacks thanks to some stout defense from UNC, even though the Cardinal possessed more of the ball. The Tar Heels were fierce in their attacks, but also did not come close to adding to their score total in the opening period. The half ended with North Carolina outshooting the Cardinal 3-1. 

The second half was chippy, but Stanford was on the front foot from the start, trying to get back into the match. In the 52nd minute, Garvanian earned a yellow card for two hard tackles on Cardinal players. 

Four minutes later, Stanford had its largest chance of the game. Richmond found an opening in the box and unleashed a low shot that bounced back off of a Tar Heel defender. Richmond and the other Cardinal attackers called for handball but the referee waved away their claims. Meanwhile, the ball was still in play in a dangerous area for Stanford. Sophomore defender Keegan Tingey was not able to find space with it and UNC was able to clear the ball. 

In the 76th minute, Cardinal junior midfielder Ryan Ludwick took out a Tar Heel attacker just outside the box, earning himself a yellow card. The ensuing free kick bounced off of a Stanford wall and was kicked to safety. 

Despite their tireless efforts for the final 14 minutes, there was nothing the Cardinal could do to break down UNC’s defense, missing the speed and skill of sophomore forward Ousseni Bouda who has been injured all season. Stanford did outshoot North Carolina in the second half 3-1, a reverse of the first half’s stat line. 

This loss in the third round of the NCAA Tournament marks the end of the Cardinal’s season. The team did not even know if it would have a season this year, with the fall season having been pushed to the spring. While the team did have success this year in capturing the Pac-12 Title, ultimately it will be disappointed that it did not progress further to its ultimate goal, the College Cup.

Nevertheless, the future is bright on the Farm with only two players expected to depart the program this offseason: senior forward Charlie Wehan and senior forward Jack O’Brien. Last year’s Pac-12 Freshman of the Year — Bouda — will be back in the squad in the fall, fully recovered from the injury that kept him out of commission this time around. 

With its win, North Carolina advances to the Elite Eight, where the team will take on the winner of a match between Kentucky and Wake Forest.

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Wehan winner sends men’s soccer past Omaha in NCAA Tournament https://stanforddaily.com/2021/05/02/wehan-winner-sends-mens-soccer-past-omaha/ https://stanforddaily.com/2021/05/02/wehan-winner-sends-mens-soccer-past-omaha/#respond Mon, 03 May 2021 03:49:45 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1181887 Cardinal senior forward Charlie Wehan took advantage of an opening in the second minute of sudden-death overtime to tap home the winner and send Stanford into the third round of the NCAA Tournament.

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Omaha was perfectly content with sitting back and letting Stanford dictate play Sunday afternoon, and the Mavericks’ game plan nearly worked perfectly.

Omaha was able to force overtime. However, Cardinal senior forward Charlie Wehan took advantage of an opening in the second minute of the sudden-death extra period to tap home the winner and send Stanford into the third round of the NCAA Tournament. 

No. 4 overall seed Stanford (10-2-1, 7-2-1 Pac-12) defeated Omaha (7-3-1, 5-2-1 Summit) 1-0 in Greensboro, N.C. The Mavericks were playing their second game of the tournament, after having beaten UNC Greensboro a few days prior. The Cardinal, meanwhile, benefitted from fresh legs, playing their first match since triumphing over Washington to win the Pac-12 title on April 17. 

Stanford started off the match on the front foot, earning two corner kicks and taking two shots in the first 10 minutes of play. In the 14th minute, the Cardinal had the ball in the back of the net, but it was called back for offsides. Four minutes later, Omaha would earn its first corner, but the cross was headed out of bounds by Stanford sophomore defender Keegan Hughes. 

Just before halftime, redshirt freshman Mark Fisher — recently named Pac-12 Freshman of the Year — sent a shot attempt from just outside of the box over the crossbar. At the halftime whistle, Stanford had outshot Omaha 7-2, but the score remained level at zero. 

The Cardinal wasted little time getting its attack started in the second period, but still struggled to break down a Maverick team that was essentially parking the bus. The best chances early on in the half would come through free kicks. In the 49th minute, Omaha’s Stephen Siy was given a yellow card, handing Stanford a goalscoring opportunity outside of the box. Sophomore forward Gabe Segal stepped forward to take it but blasted his attempt wide of the mark. 

Segal would get a second opportunity a few minutes later after Miguel Gomez took down senior forward Jack O’Brien in a similar area. This time, Segal’s shot was much closer, bouncing off of the crossbar. 

Stanford still struggled to find an opening goal for the rest of the second half. It created a multitude of opportunities, but they were all fruitless. Eventually, time ran out and the two teams got set for sudden-death overtime. The Cardinal had outshot the Mavericks 24-2 in regulation. 

Stanford would waste little time going on the offensive in overtime. In just the second minute of the period, redshirt junior defender Andrew Aprahamian broke up an Omaha counterattack and played a pass forward to redshirt junior forward Zach Ryan. Ryan quickly passed to Wehan, who slid the ball to Segal. Finally, Segal flicked the ball over the Maverick defense, where Wehan was able to control it with his head before tapping the ball past the keeper for the match-winner. 

Wehan has been a major factor off the bench this year for head coach Jeremy Gunn, and his performance on Sunday was no different. 

Next up in the Cardinal’s quest for a return to the College Cup is a third-round matchup with North Carolina (8-4-3, 7-2-3 ACC) on Thursday. The Tar Heels knocked off Charlotte in penalty kicks in their second-round match. The opening kick time is to be determined.

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Men’s soccer primed for NCAA Tournament https://stanforddaily.com/2021/05/01/mens-soccer-primed-for-ncaa-tournament/ https://stanforddaily.com/2021/05/01/mens-soccer-primed-for-ncaa-tournament/#respond Sun, 02 May 2021 05:23:42 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1181848 After securing the Pac-12 crown, the Stanford men’s soccer team (9-2-1, 7-2-1 Pac-12) will look to get back to the College Cup, where the Cardinal fell in the semifinals to Georgetown in 2019, the last edition of the NCAA Tournament. First up is a second round matchup against Omaha (7-2-1, 5-2-1 Summit) in Greensboro, North Carolina.

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After securing the Pac-12 crown, the Stanford men’s soccer team (9-2-1, 7-2-1 Pac-12) will look to get back to the College Cup, where the Cardinal fell in the semifinals to Georgetown in 2019 — the last edition of the NCAA Tournament. First up is a second-round matchup against Omaha (7-2-1, 5-2-1 Summit) in Greensboro, N.C.

The Omaha Mavericks defeated UNC Greensboro 3-2 on Thursday in the first round in what was the program’s first-ever NCAA Tournament win. 

This will be Stanford’s third meeting with Omaha in program history, with the last being a 4-0 win for the Cardinal at Cagan Stadium in 2016. The tournament’s No. 4 overall seed, Stanford is led by leading goalscorer — and Pac-12 Player of the Year — Zach Ryan. The redshirt junior forward has registered 10 goals and three assists thus far for the Cardinal. He spearheads the attack, supported by sophomore forward Gabe Segal and junior midfielder Will Richmond. Richmond was named to the All-Pac-12 First Team this past week while Segal earned Second Team honors. 

All in all, Stanford’s attack has scored 29 goals this season with a few of those tallies coming from senior forward Charlie Wehan. The defense has also been strong this spring, only allowing eight goals to date. Redshirt junior goalkeeper Andrew Thomas earned All-Pac-12 First Team honors for his efforts this season. Sophomore defender Keegan Hughes has also been an anchor at the back along with redshirt junior defender Andrew Aprahamian and sophomore defender Keegan Tingey. 

On the other side of the pitch, Omaha is led by junior forward Hugo Kametani, senior midfielder Nil Ayats and junior midfielder Ed Port. Kametani has nine goals on the season while Ayats and Port both have four assists to their names. In goal, redshirt senior keeper Jeremy Pollard has made 31 saves this season. 

In their first round matchup, the Mavericks jumped out to a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Kametani and Ayats. UNC Greensboro then responded with two goals of its own before Kametani finished off the match with a header just three minutes before the final whistle. 

Kick-off is set for 2 p.m. PT Sunday and will be streamed on ESPN3. The winner will face the victor of the match between North Carolina and Charlotte.

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Zach Ryan fires men’s soccer to Pac-12 crown in overtime https://stanforddaily.com/2021/04/17/zach-ryan-fires-mens-soccer-to-pac-12-crown/ https://stanforddaily.com/2021/04/17/zach-ryan-fires-mens-soccer-to-pac-12-crown/#respond Sun, 18 Apr 2021 02:33:46 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1181274 Playing its final match of the season at Cagan Stadium, No. 8 Stanford (9-2-1, 7-2-1 Pac-12) defeated No. 6 Washington (10-3-0, 7-3-0 Pac-12) 1-0. With the victory, the Cardinal avenged an earlier loss to the Huskies.

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Redshirt junior forward Zach Ryan was not healthy enough to play a full 90 minutes after suffering an injury last weekend against Oregon State, so head coach Jeremy Gunn started his squad’s leading scorer on the bench. Ryan was on the field when it mattered most though, scoring the match winner in the seventh minute of overtime and securing the Cardinal’s seventh Pac-12 title. 

Playing its final match of the season at Cagan Stadium, No. 8 Stanford (9-2-1, 7-2-1 Pac-12) defeated No. 6 Washington (10-3-0, 7-3-0 Pac-12) 1-0. With the victory, the Cardinal avenged an earlier loss to the Huskies. 

Senior forward Charlie Wehan got the start in place of Ryan on senior day. Stanford’s one other senior — forward Jack O’Brien — also started. 

The first half was a back-and-forth affair with the Cardinal having the better chances of the two teams. In the 28th minute, sophomore forward Gabe Segal had his shot from distance pushed out of bounds by Washington sophomore goalkeeper Sam Fowler. 

Fifteen minutes later, sophomore defender Keegan Tingey’s free kick found the head of sophomore defender Keegan Hughes but Hughes’s effort went just over the top of the crossbar. Washington nearly scored on a close header of its own seconds before halftime, but it was blocked by the Stanford defense. 

The Cardinal outshot the Huskies 5-4 in the first half. 

Stanford would then go on the front foot for the entire second half, not even allowing Washington to attempt a shot. As the clock ticked closer to the 90th minute, the game started to get chippy with the teams trading yellow cards. Redshirt freshman forward Carlo Agostinelli limped off with an injury in the 67th minute. He would be replaced by freshman midfielder Aiden Weaver. 

In the 75th minute, Ryan played a pass into the box to Weaver but the freshman’s shot flew into the side netting. The Cardinal was getting closer and closer to an opening goal. 

A few minutes later sophomore midfielder Cam Cilley found himself in a one-on-one situation with Washington’s keeper. Cilley tried to flick the ball over Fowler’s head but Fowler got a hand to it and pushed it off the crossbar. That was the closest Stanford came in the second half to a goal. 

The teams were still deadlocked in the 90th minute and headed off to sudden death overtime. The Cardinal had outshot Washington 6-0 in the second half. 

The Huskies had the first chance of overtime with a corner kick in the 95th minute, but junior midfielder Dylan Teves’s shot was too high. Stanford turned around and earned a free kick at the other end. Tingey stepped forward and fired a cross into the box that Ryan was able to head into the bottom right corner of the goal. He immediately started sprinting towards the opposite end of the pitch with the mob of his teammates trailing him in celebration. 

Having regained the Pac-12 crown from Washington, the men’s soccer team will now look forward to the NCAA Tournament. 

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Men’s soccer loses high-scoring affair with Oregon State https://stanforddaily.com/2021/04/10/mens-soccer-loses-high-scoring-affair-with-oregon-state/ https://stanforddaily.com/2021/04/10/mens-soccer-loses-high-scoring-affair-with-oregon-state/#respond Sun, 11 Apr 2021 05:27:47 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1180949 As this season has shown, when Stanford and Oregon State play each other, expect there to be plenty of goals. On Saturday evening in Corvallis, No. 5 Cardinal men’s soccer (8-2-1, 6-2-1 Pac-12) was beaten 3-2 by Oregon State (8-4, 5-4 Pac-12) on what was the Beavers’ senior night.

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As this season has shown, when Stanford and Oregon State play each other, fans can expect there to be plenty of goals. 

On Saturday evening in Corvallis, No. 5 Cardinal men’s soccer (8-2-1, 6-2-1 Pac-12) was beaten 3-2 by Oregon State (8-4, 5-4 Pac-12) on what was the Beavers’ senior night. This was the reverse scoreline of the two teams’ earlier season matchup, when Stanford came from behind to win in the same result. 

The Cardinal wasted no time getting its attack started, scoring in the third minute. Junior midfielder Will Richmond sent in a cross from the left side of the pitch to find redshirt junior forward Zach Ryan unmarked in the center of the box where he was able to calmly send the ball over the goalkeeper’s head. 

The lead would not last. Just seven minutes later, a Stanford turnover in the midfield allowed Oregon State sophomore midfielder Javier Armas to play a through ball behind the Stanford defense where junior forward Gloire Amanda — the nation’s leading goalscorer — found himself with acres of space and ripped his shot into the roof of the net. 

The Beavers’ blitz continued in the 14th minute when they went ahead for good. Redshirt senior midfielder Tyrone Mondi got into the Cardinal’s box and broke free of his defender with a nifty cutback move before firing a shot past redshirt junior goalkeeper Andrew Thomas. 

The two sides would trade attacking moves for much of the half. 

In the 39th minute, Richmond nearly levelled the score for the Cardinal but his shot was wide. Two minutes later, Oregon State made him pay as junior midfielder Sofiane Djeffal took advantage of Stanford’s failure to clear the box and tapped home his team’s third goal of the evening. 

At halftime, both teams had attempted six shots apiece. 

The Cardinal came out of the break looking to get back into the match, and they would do just that in the 52nd minute. Richmond sent in one of his trademark crosses from the left wing, and the Beaver sophomore goalkeeper Gabriel Roman, standing in for starting junior keeper Adrian Fernandez who was out with an injury, allowed the ball to slip through his hands and give Stanford a way back. 

Stanford tirelessly launched attack after attack seeking an equalizer, but its attempts were futile. In the 59th minute, sophomore forward Gabe Segal blasted a shot over the crossbar. 

As the clock ticked closer and closer to the 90th minute mark, Oregon State sunk back deeper and deeper to preserve its lead. In the 81st minute, Ryan was forced to hobble off the pitch after being on the receiving end of a vicious tackle from the Beavers’ freshman defender Gael Gibert. Gibert received a yellow card for the move.

Ten minutes later, with the match on the line, Stanford earned a free kick just outside of the box for what would be the final kick of the match. Segal stepped forward to take it, hoping to recreate a few of his successful attempts from earlier in the season. However, his attempt was hit over the goal, handing Stanford a loss and Oregon State an upset victory. 

The Cardinal will be back out on the pitch next Saturday, April 17 to take on Washington at 12:30 p.m. PT. The match will decide who wins the Pac-12 crown.

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Men’s soccer controls play, earns season sweep of San Diego State https://stanforddaily.com/2021/04/04/msoc-earns-season-sweep-of-sd-state/ https://stanforddaily.com/2021/04/04/msoc-earns-season-sweep-of-sd-state/#respond Sun, 04 Apr 2021 08:08:16 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1180635 The Cardinal eased to a 3-1 victory over San Diego State (1-5-2, 1-5-2 Pac-12) at Cagan Stadium.

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The last time these two teams met was an overtime thriller win for No. 6 Stanford men’s soccer (8-1-1, 6-1-1 Pac-12), won on a late goal from sophomore forward Gabe Segal. This time around, fans did not have to worry about their heart rate as the Cardinal eased to a 3-1 victory over San Diego State (1-5-2, 1-5-2 Pac-12) at Cagan Stadium. 

Stanford wasted no time getting its attack started, as Segal had a shot blocked in the very first minute of play. The first half was also chippy, with several fouls called on both teams. Aztec freshman defender Fritz Oestreicher received a yellow card in the 17th minute and Stanford sophomore defender Keegan Hughes swiftly followed suit, earning one of his own. 

In the 23rd minute, junior midfielder Will Richmond whipped a free kick into the box where Segal was able to latch onto the ball and send it home for the game’s opener. That was his sixth goal of the season and Richmond’s fifth assist. 

Stanford’s lead would only last 10 minutes. San Diego State freshman midfielder Andre Ochoa stole the ball from a Cardinal center back and slotted his shot past Stanford redshirt junior goalkeeper Andrew Thomas for the equalizer. 

Only a minute later, Stanford earned a penalty kick, but redshirt junior forward Zach Ryan’s attempt was well-saved by Aztec sophomore goalkeeper Tetsuya Kadono. 

From there, the Cardinal turned its intensity up a notch, launching attack after attack on San Diego State’s defense. In the 36th minute, Thomas launched a goal kick into the opposing team’s box. Stanford was able to gain possession and junior midfielder Ryan Ludwick found the foot of his teammate Ryan, who fired the Cardinal ahead. The home team would not turn back. 

Nine minutes later, and just before halftime, redshirt junior forward Rhys De Sota fell down in the box, but his teammate, senior forward Charlie Wehan, was right there to put the ball in the back of the net. Stanford would take its 3-1 lead into halftime. The Cardinal outshot the Aztecs 10-5 in the opening period. 

The second half was much less eventful, but Stanford still controlled the run of play. The team came close to adding to its score total on a few occasions, none more so than when sophomore midfielder Cam Cilley had a shot saved in the 75th minute. 

Stanford outshot its opponent 8-1, an even more dominant display than the first half despite not being able to make another dent on the scoreboard. 

The win was the Cardinal’s eighth of the season and sets the team up well for its final two matches against Oregon State and Washington. Both of those teams are ranked in the top 10 in the country. Stanford beat Oregon State earlier this season but lost to the Huskies. 

The team will travel to Corvallis next Saturday to face the Beavers at 12 p.m. PT. The match will be shown on the Pac-12 Network.

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Cardinal cruises by Bruins in 3-0 shutout https://stanforddaily.com/2021/03/28/cardinal-cruise-by-bruins/ https://stanforddaily.com/2021/03/28/cardinal-cruise-by-bruins/#respond Mon, 29 Mar 2021 04:33:56 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1180295 After demolishing the Bruins (1-6-2, 0-5-2 Pac-12) 4-0 on March 6 on the Farm, the Cardinal (7-1-1, 5-1-1 Pac-12) traveled to Los Angeles and again shut out UCLA on Sunday, this time by a score of 3-0.

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Stanford has UCLA’s number.

After demolishing the Bruins (1-6-2, 0-5-2 Pac-12) 4-0 on March 6 on the Farm, the Cardinal (7-1-1, 5-1-1 Pac-12) traveled to Los Angeles and again shut out UCLA on Sunday, this time by a score of 3-0. 

Redshirt junior forward Zach Ryan got the scoring started in the 23rd minute, placing a shot in the bottom right corner of the net. Redshirt junior defender Andrew Aprahamian and junior midfielder Will Richmond were each credited with an assist. 

Almost exactly 20 minutes later, redshirt junior forward Rhys De Sota scored the first goal of his career off passes from senior forward Charlie Wehan and Richmond, both of whom were credited with the assist.

The goal put the Cardinal up two scores at the midway point, but there were signs of concern. UCLA had three corner kicks compared to zero for Stanford, while Stanford was whistled for five fouls. 

However, the Cardinal outshot the Bruins 6-2 in the first 45 minutes and continued to put pressure on the opposing defense for the second 45, tripling the difference in shots to make it a 14-2 Stanford advantage. Nine of the 20 total Cardinal shots were on goal.

Stanford tacked on a third score in the 68th minute, when sophomore forward Gabe Segal beat the Bruins defense down field and eluded goalkeeper Justin Garces to give himself five goals on the season.

Redshirt junior goalkeeper Andrew Thomas saved two shots in what was the team’s sixth shutout of the season. 

The win ended a brief two-game stretch in which the win column had eluded Stanford; the Cardinal dropped a 1-0 contest to No. 6 Washington and was unable to break a 0-0 tie against Cal in its previous two matchups. 

Stanford jumped into first place in the Pac-12 with the victory, coupled with Washington’s 2-0 loss to San Diego State on Sunday. 

The Cardinal will take on the Aztecs to defend their spot atop the standings on April 3 at 3 p.m. PT on the Farm. Segal’s game winner in overtime allowed Stanford to escape with a 1-0 win when the two teams faced off earlier this season.

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Big Clàsico rematch ends in a goalless draw for men’s soccer https://stanforddaily.com/2021/03/24/big-clasico-rematch-ends-in-draw/ https://stanforddaily.com/2021/03/24/big-clasico-rematch-ends-in-draw/#respond Thu, 25 Mar 2021 04:53:54 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1180164 In the second Big Clàsico of the season, Stanford men’s soccer (6-1-1, 4-1-1 Pac-12) tied with Cal (2-3-1, 1-3-1 Pac-12) 0-0. Neither team was able to finish off its opportunities in what turned into a defensive battle.

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In the second Big Clàsico of the season, Stanford men’s soccer (6-1-1, 4-1-1 Pac-12) tied with Cal (2-3-1, 1-3-1 Pac-12) 0-0. Neither team was able to finish off its opportunities in what turned into a defensive battle.

The Cardinal were coming off its first loss of the season, last week against No. 6 Washington. 

Stanford forced most of the action in the first half, but was not able to find the back of the net. Cal had the first big chance of the match when senior midfielder Francisco Perez’s attempt was saved by Stanford redshirt junior goalkeeper Andrew Thomas in the sixth minute. 

Four minutes later, senior forward Charlie Wehan’s header forced a save at the other end. 

The half ended with both teams deadlocked at 0-0. Stanford outshot Cal 7-2. 

The second period would be much of the same as the Cardinal largely controlled the run of play. The Golden Bears thought they had scored the opener in the 74th minute, but it was ruled out for offsides. 

By the 90th minute, the score was still even at zero apiece. Stanford had outshot Cal 7-3 in the second half. The teams then headed into a sudden death overtime. The Cardinal were no strangers to golden goal, having knocked off San Diego State thanks to a goal from sophomore forward Gabe Segal in the very first minute of that first overtime period. 

Stanford would have no such luck in golden goal this time around. The Cardinal yet again created more opportunities than its opponent, but none of them were clear-cut scoring chances. Junior midfielder Will Richmond worked tirelessly on the wing for Stanford to make something happen, but his efforts were just not enough. 

The Cardinal earned nine corner kicks in the two overtime periods but were unable to convert. Stanford also outshot Cal 4-3 in overtime. 

Stanford will be back on the pitch again this Sunday at 2 p.m. PT in Los Angeles to take on UCLA. The Cardinal have already played the Bruins this year, a 4-0 Stanford victory in Cagan Stadium on Mar. 6.

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