The men kicked off their conference schedule today at the Q (Laird Q Cagan stadium) versus San Diego State - which, for those of you who don't follow men's college soccer, is actually one of the six (count 'em) teams in Pac 12 men's soccer. The women had their second league match against #15 UCLA, whom they beat 3-2 last year to win the championship. Both one, the women in a great match.
I missed all but the last 10 minutes of the men's match but I'm told it was pretty boring until the 60th minute when Stanford ripped off three goals in about 10 minutes - Panchot on a Bashti assist, someone on a keeper error, and Bashti for the third. And then it went back to being boring.
The women, OTOH, played a great, exciting match with UCLA. They scored first with a PK off an inadvertent (but real) handball in the box in the 12th. We came back via Catarina Macario with a lovely finish just in front of a charging keeper after a glorious through ball from Madison Haley. The half ended 1-1 but we had 11 shots to their 6 (four of which came in one 30 second flurry).
We scored again in the 46th on a magnificent one touch volley by Macario after UCLA had a header off a great ball in from Tegan McGrady but didn't quite clear it. We continued to be the better team and got a third on an all Sophia Smith goal in the 78th to make it 3-1.
Followed, within about 30 seconds, by a great UCLA shot after a ball fell at a player's feet in the box, making it 3-2. And so it ended, the same score as last year's championship. Excellent soccer, FUN match to watch. But we had twice as many shots as UCLA (24 to 12) and three times as many good opportunities (including one that just missed off the bar). I would note that UCLA was missing its best player, Jessie Fleming, who presumably is training with the Canadian national team for World Cup qualifiers. She's her country's star. But we were missing Tierna Davidson, USWNT started, with a broken ankle, and starters Michelle Xiao and Sam Hiatt. And we played better.
So, a nice 3-0 victory, and a better played 3-2 victory for the women. All in all, a good night at the Q!
I missed all but the last 10 minutes of the men's match but I'm told it was pretty boring until the 60th minute when Stanford ripped off three goals in about 10 minutes - Panchot on a Bashti assist, someone on a keeper error, and Bashti for the third. And then it went back to being boring.
The women, OTOH, played a great, exciting match with UCLA. They scored first with a PK off an inadvertent (but real) handball in the box in the 12th. We came back via Catarina Macario with a lovely finish just in front of a charging keeper after a glorious through ball from Madison Haley. The half ended 1-1 but we had 11 shots to their 6 (four of which came in one 30 second flurry).
We scored again in the 46th on a magnificent one touch volley by Macario after UCLA had a header off a great ball in from Tegan McGrady but didn't quite clear it. We continued to be the better team and got a third on an all Sophia Smith goal in the 78th to make it 3-1.
Followed, within about 30 seconds, by a great UCLA shot after a ball fell at a player's feet in the box, making it 3-2. And so it ended, the same score as last year's championship. Excellent soccer, FUN match to watch. But we had twice as many shots as UCLA (24 to 12) and three times as many good opportunities (including one that just missed off the bar). I would note that UCLA was missing its best player, Jessie Fleming, who presumably is training with the Canadian national team for World Cup qualifiers. She's her country's star. But we were missing Tierna Davidson, USWNT started, with a broken ankle, and starters Michelle Xiao and Sam Hiatt. And we played better.
So, a nice 3-0 victory, and a better played 3-2 victory for the women. All in all, a good night at the Q!