The top-ranked Stanford men’s soccer team shrugged off an early deficit to beat SMU 3-1 on Thursday night at Laird Q. Cagan Stadium.
After shutout wins in its opening three matches, the Cardinal (4-0-0) worked hard to put away the Mustangs (3-1-0), who broke Stanford’s 819-minute streak without conceding a goal in the second minute.
Foster Langsdorf scored his sixth goal of the season, and Tanner Beason and Charlie Wehan each scored for Stanford. The Cardinal outshot SMU 24-10 with a 5-3 advantage in corners, but it was the Mustangs who struck first.
SMU won a long throw in from the right sideline, and capitalized on a deflected clearance to slam home the opening goal. It was the first goal conceded by Stanford since Nov. 11 against Cal, and the first allowed by Nico Corti in his 14th career appearance. Corti finished the game with four saves, including a classy kick save in the 75th minute to preserve a 3-1 advantage.
Drew Skundrich had Stanford’s first scoring opportunity, teeing one up from 30 yards straight at the keeper. Tomas Hilliard-Arce nearly leveled the score in the 32nd minute with a towering header, only to be denied by a fantastic save.
Stanford equalized in the 38th minute through Beason. Jared Gilbey curled in a dangerous free kick from the left flank, and Beason was hauled down to earn the spot kick. The left back took the penalty himself, confidently leveling the score going into halftime.
A pair of freshman created Stanford’s go-ahead goal. Skundrich found right back Logan Panchot in space on the wing, and the freshman whipped an inch-perfect ball to the head of Wehan at the back post. Wehan gave the keeper no chance, looping his header inside the far post to give Stanford the lead in the 66th minute.
Six minutes later, a Mustang defender brought down Wehan in the box, giving the Cardinal its second penalty of the evening. This time, Langsdorf stepped up and buried the spot kick, giving Stanford a two-goal cushion with 18 minutes to play.
Stanford returns to action on Saturday when it hosts Tulsa at 7 p.m.
Women’s soccer
Sacred Heart Prep grad Tierna Davidson earned a call up to the United States Women’s National Team, as announced Thursday by head coach Jill Ellis.
It is the second call up to the senior women’s national team for Davidson after she trained with the side in Carson betweeen January 13-23. Davidson, along with five other players, was invited to train with the team after a U-23 training camp in Carson on January 6-13 — the camp also included Jordan DiBiasi and former Cardinal Maddie Bauer.
One of 22 call-ups, Davidson is the lone uncapped player on the roster and joins former Cardinal’s Jane Campbell, Kelley O’Hara (who will be making her 100th appearance with the national team) and Christen Press. The team will play two matches against New Zealand on Sept. 15 at Dicks Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado, and on Sept. 19 at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati.
Davidson, along with senior midfielder Andi Sullivan, was named to the MAC Hermann Trophy watch list in August, and was an All-Pac-12 second team selection after her freshman season.
Women’s volleyball
Stanford grad and U.S. national team member Foluke Akinradewo agreed to a contract to play for the Japanese club team Hisamitsu on Thursday.
A two-time Olympian, one-time FIVB World Championship gold medalist and four-time FIVB World League winner arrives in Hisamitsu from the Swiss Volero Zürich.
Among major individual awards, the U.S. athlete was named MVP of the FIVB World League once, and Best Middle Blocker of the Olympic Games (Rio 2016), FIVB World Grand Prix and FIVB Club World Championship once each.
By Stanford Athletics
By Stanford Athletics
By Stanford Athletics