At home at Cagan Stadium, the No. 9 Stanford Women’s Soccer Team (12-2-1, 5-1 Pac-12) ousted previously undefeated No. 1 UCLA (13-1, 5-1 Pac-12) . In a game that the team dedicated to the former goalkeeper Katie Mayerthe 1-0 victory was the icing on the cake of a very significant game for the Cardenal.
Sporting green headbands to raise mental health awareness, Stanford’s energy was palpable. Throughout the entire half, the top 10 teams exemplified beautiful football from start to finish. With back-and-forth play, the teams were matched up almost perfectly. Clean passing lent itself to a possession-oriented game, and despite just four shots on goal in total in the half, the game was intense, and it remained that way throughout the half. He had elegant footwork, breakaways, dangerous counter-attacks, set pieces – all the ingredients for an exciting game, except a goal.
With a minute and a half left in the game, Stanford earned a corner kick. Rookie forward Allie Montoya hit one near the post, finding rookie defender Elise Evans. Moving away from Bruin’s goalkeeper, Evans drove her shot to the far post and scored her second goal this season.
As the No. 1 pick in the Class of 2026, Evans has proven invaluable to the Cardinal, starting every game and leading the team to eight shutouts this season.
As the second half wore on, the crisp passes of the first half turned into small efforts to dispossess. In the 58th minute, UCLA Ally Lemos earned a yellow card, one of two cards he received throughout the game.
As the minutes ticked by, Stanford withdrew, giving UCLA room and opportunities to tie the game. The Bruins took each free throw as a set play, shooting on goal.
“We were on defense,” Cardinal junior goalie Ryan Campbell said, “They were strong offensively.”
In the final 10 minutes, the goalie was bombarded with a mix of shots and free kicks, including one just outside the box in the 80th minute. This set piece, awarded along with a yellow card to second-year Cardinal defender Avani Brandt, was one of the Bruins’ best chances of the night. Still, Campbell finished the night with a clean sheet.
“As long as I have the right mindset, I have the advantage,” Campbell described.
While the players are ecstatic over the win, it was clear that this match meant more than the result. In memory of Meyer, the Cardinal allowed his players to step back and “put things in perspective,” coach Paul Ratcliffe said. Ratcliffe has shown his undoubted support for the cause, and has also backed second-year midfielder Andrea Kitahata in her decision to take the rest of the season off to prioritize her mental health.
“It’s time to start having these conversations,” Evans said on behalf of his team.
Overall, in a nail-biting game, Stanford came out on top, beating the Bruins 1-0. “It’s a great win for us,” Ratcliffe commented after this “meaningful match.”
The Cardinals return to action on October 10 to face Oregon (4-5-4, 2-3 Pac-12) in Eugene, Oregon. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 pm PT.
