Score: UC Davis 0, No. 1 Stanford 1
Location: Stanford, Calif.
Records: UC Davis 4-2-1, Stanford 7-1
The short story: UC Davis' four-match winning streak came to an end Wednesday night at Cagan Stadium as the No. 1 ranked Stanford Cardinal edged out the Aggies 1-0. Despite multiple near-scoring opportunities, the Aggies were unable to break through, while the Cardinal netted a goal in the final minutes to escape with the victory.
PITCH SIDE
- The Aggies challenged the top-ranked Cardinal, outshooting them on target 4-3
- UC Davis applied pressure all-night, creating numerous chances from corner kicks, outpacing Stanford 14-13 in this category
- Mekhai Wilson, in his first career start, recorded two saves and helped keep Stanford at bay for nearly 85 minutes
- Shots on goal for the Aggies came from Kevin Welch, Keegan Walwyn-Bent, Lucas Fernandez-Kim, and Scott Buie
- Nineteen different Aggies saw action, with Wilson, Carson Hammond, Cason Goodman, Zack Lillington, and Cole Pond playing the full 90 minutes
- Stanford's Jarvie Duncan scored the decisive goal after coming off the bench and playing just 12 minutes
HOW IT HAPPENED
- UC Davis faced immediate pressure from the host Cardinal, who recorded three shots within the first 15 minutes, all unsuccessful
- The Aggies' lone first-half shot came from Luke Goodman in the 23rd minute
- Wilson's first save came in the 36th minute, and the teams went into halftime tied 0-0
- UC Davis ramped up their aggression in the second half, recording six shots compared to just one in the first half
- The match saw a back-and-forth battle, with UC Davis getting their best chance to take the lead in the 77th minute when Walwyn-Bent's shot was saved
- The Aggies had another pair of near-goals shortly after, with Fernandez-Kim's shot and a corner kick cross just missing L. Goodman at the far post
- Stanford responded to these threats and found the back of the net in the 85th minute
- UC Davis managed one more shot following Stanford's goal but were denied, allowing the Cardinal to escape with a 1-0 win
NEXT UP: UC Davis continues its non-conference schedule on the road this Saturday, facing off against San Diego State at 7 p.m. PT.
