In a haunting reliving of last season, No. 7 Stanford women’s soccer (7-3-0, 1-1-0 Pac-12) was handed their first loss in the Pac-12 by Oregon State (9-1-0, 1-1-0 Pac-12) on Thursday. Despite dominating much of the play, Stanford fell 2-1 to the Beavers at home.
The loss would have come as a shock had it not been for last season’s similar misfortune.
Dominating the ball was simply not enough for the home team, as the Cardinal took 24 shots, only seven of which landed on target. On the other end of the field, only five shots were taken, four on target and two in the back of the net. The match proved that even when one team dominates, they still have to score to win.
The match itself started off slow with many missed Cardinal opportunities and a 43rd minute goal for the Beavers. Going into the half down a goal, fans were ridden with deja vu of last season. Though the Cardinal continued to dominate the game and create ample scoring opportunities, the goals simply did not come for the home side.
Oregon State would score again in the 75th minute, making it 2-0 with 15 minutes remaining for a comeback. The momentum however shifted far too late. An immediate response from Stanford came from redshirt junior midfielder Sierra Enge who scored in the 76th minute. The Cardinal were ultimately unable to get another back to push the game to overtime.
The game ended 2-1 in a home heartbreak and left Stanford 1-1 in the Pac-12. Notable Cardinal performances came from Enge, who put three shots on target, and freshman standout forward Andrea Kitahata, who rattled off another three on goal. Others getting the nod to start included freshman defender Avani Brandt, who is marking her role in the starting back line, and sophomore midfielder Amy Sayer. Both performed well throughout the match and continue to develop as the future of the program.
Despite the loss, Stanford hopes to bounce back for a Sunday home game against Oregon. The Cardinal will face the Ducks at 1 p.m. PT at Cagan Stadium for their last home match before three matchups on the road.