WOMEN'S SOCCER FALLS 3-0 TO NO. 1 RANKED STANFORD IN FIRST-ROUND OF NCAA TOURNAMENT

11/12/2010

Savannah Abercrombie made a season-high 11 saves against No. 1 ranked Stanford.

STANFORD, Calif. - The Sacramento State women's soccer team hung tough with the No. 1 ranked team in the nation and it was scoreless at halftime, but the Hornets lost 3-0 to Stanford in the first round of the NCAA Women's College Cup on Friday night in front of 1,808 fans at Laird Q. Cagan Stadium. The Hornets finish the 2010 season with a 9-10-1 record while the Cardinal improve to 19-0-2 with the victory.

It was the Hornets' second trip to the NCAA Tournament in the last four seasons, with Sacramento State also falling to Stanford in the first round, 7-0, in 2007.

The Cardinal blasted a whopping 19 shots in the first half compared to just two by the Hornets, but junior keeper Savannah Abercrombie kept Stanford off the board in the opening period with five saves. The Sacramento native grabbed six saves in the second half, but the Cardinal took another 23 shots in the second half and connected on three of them to propel the No. 1 overall seeded Cardinal into the second round against Santa Clara.

The Hornets held Stanford scoreless for nearly 65 minutes but in the 66th minute Sydney Payne took a pass from Camille Levin and Rachel Quon and flicked it backwards into the net.

Payne would assist on the Cardinal's next two goals, setting up Taylor McCann in the 82nd minue and Nina Watkins in the 87th minute.

Stanford's prolific scorer, senior Christen Press, who came into the game with 23 goals and seven assists on the season, did not register a point against the Hornets despite 15 shot attempts and five shots on goal.

Sacramento State took three total shots in the game, with Victoria Ramirez, Jessica Castaño and Caitlin Pulver attempting to score against the Cardinal.

Stanford took 15 corner kicks to just one by Sacramento State. Only 12 total fouls were whistled, with seven on Sacramento State. Megan Burg was issued the game's only yellow card.

The Hornets wrap up the season with 34 goals on the season while limiting their opponents to just 24 while taking 139 shots compared to 109 by their opponents.