STANFORD, Calif. – Saint Mary's conceded just three minutes into the game and eventually went down 2-0 at the half, but were able to get on the scoreboard five minutes into the second half thanks to first year Gael
Brooklyn Smith. The momentum was short lived though as the second ranked team in the nation tacked on two more goals to seal the 4-1 victory and remain perfect on the season.
For the Gaels, Smith recorded her first goal since transferring over from Utah State to pull within one in the 52nd minute. Freshman forward
Ashlyn Vaughn sprung
Sydney Middaugh down the right side of the box who played a beautiful pass across the face of the goal, allowing Smith to tap it in on the back post.
In goal,
Kate Plachy recorded a career high seven saves and faced 18 shots from the Stanford offense over the course of the match. The Gaels recorded seven shots of their own but the Cardinal imposed their will offensively as they are proving to be one of the most potent offenses in the country, averaging nearly five goals per game.
HOW IT HAPPENED...
FIRST HALF SMC 0-2 STAN
Just two and a half minutes into the game, Stanford found the back of the net with a stellar individual run from midfielder Andrea Kitahata. Kitahata beat her defender on the wing and played a cutback ball inside the box for Joelle Jung who finished first time for her second goal of the season.
The Gaels settled in for the next 18 minutes but Stanford would strike again in the 22nd minute to double their lead before the halftime whistle. Saint Mary's finished with three shots in the half while Plachy made four saves in the opening period.
FINAL SMC 1-4 STAN
The Gaels would make things interesting with a goal just six minutes into the second half. The speedy
Sydney Middaugh would track down a through ball from
Ashlyn Vaughn and then rifle a pass across the goal line to
Brooklyn Smith. Smith made a great run on the back post to tap in her first goal of her SMC career and put Saint Mary's within one.
Stanford did a great job keeping their foot on the gas pedal all match though as they scored three minutes later to push their lead back to two goals. The nail in the coffin would come in the 79th minute with a goal from Allie Montoya for her team leading fourth of the season as Stanford generated another ten shots in the second half.
For Saint Mary's,
Ashlyn Vaughn got her first collegiate start after a productive debut against CSUN the week prior. She played all 90 minutes, generating three shots and recording her second assist of the season on Middaugh's goal.
Kate Plachy finished with a career high seven saves while Middaugh scored her first goal of the 2025 season.
LOOKING AHEAD
Saint Mary's falls to 0-1-1 on the season after suffering their first loss of the season to the second ranked Stanford Cardinal. They will return to Moraga for a two-game homestand starting next Thursday, August 28th as they play host to San Jose State. Kick off is scheduled for 5:00 PM and tickets can be bought online at smcgaels.com/tickets.
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