Cal Poly scores early but loses in NCAA Tournament at #1 seed Stanford
Mike Klan
PALO ALTO, Calif. (KEYT). -Top-ranked Stanford surrendered a goal in the first minute of play on Friday, but responded with a pair of first-half goals, and one within the first minute of the second half, to record a 3-1 victory over Cal Poly in the NCAA Tournament first round from Cagan Stadium.
With the victory, Stanford improves to 17-1-2 on the season, while Cal Poly’s year ends at 10-3-9.
Making good on its first opportunity of the match, Cal Poly mounted an attack down the right flank where Madelyn Dougherty sent a cross in and found the head of Jessie Halladay for her 10th goal of the season just 49 seconds into the match.
Unphased by the early blow, Stanford responded with the equalizer in the seventh minute when Shae Harvey volleyed her shot home from the top of the 18 after Mia Bhuta’s ball in was punched away by Mustangs goalkeeper Shannon Porubski. The goal was Harvey’s fifth of the season.
Returning from injury, junior Joelle Jung contributed what proved to be the game-winner in the 37th minute when she received a pass from Andrea Kitahata and put her shot on frame from 30 yards out and just out of the reach of Porubski. For Jung, the goal was her fourth of the season.
Emerging from the halftime break carrying a 2-1 lead, Stanford quickly added one more on Charlotte Kohler’s 10th of the season just 47 seconds into the second stanza. Eleanor Klinger played a header across the box for Jasmine Aikey, but Porubski was there to make the initial save. The ball trickled out toward the penalty spot and Kohler pounced on the rebound and quickly played it into the back of the net.
Freshman goalkeeper Caroline Birkel was credited with three saves for Stanford, while Porubski tallied seven – with all 10 goalkeeper saves coming in the second half.
The Cardinal will advance to the NCAA second round where it will host No. 8 seed Alabama on Friday at a time to be determined. Fifth-seed BYU will also make the trip to The Farm to play the winner of No. 4 seed UCLA and Pepperdine – a match slated for Saturday at 6 p.m.
(Article courtesy Stanford Athletics)