Top-Ranked Cardinal Advances to Championship Final – Stanford Cardinal

CARY, N.C. – Playing in an ACC Championship Semifinal match on Thursday night from WakeMed Soccer Park, No. 1 Stanford (16-1-1) scored three first-half goals, including a brace from sophomore Charlotte Kohler, and held on to defeat No. 7 Virginia (12-3-4) 3-2 to advance to the Championship Final.

The Cardinal, which won the ACC regular-season title, advances to play No. 2 Notre Dame in the Championship Final after the Irish defeated Duke in the other semifinal on Thursday.

Stanford peppered the Virginia goal in the first half, putting 15 of its 20 shots on the night up in the first 45 minutes. Kohler broke the scoreless match in the ninth minute as she stole a pass in the Virginia defensive end and slotted her shot past the keeper for her eighth goal of the year.

Kohler doubled the Cardinal lead in the 31st minute when she once again won a ball in the Virginia box, dribbled on goal and deposited her shot into the back of the net to record her second multi-goal of the season.

Putting the finishing touches on a spectacular first half of play, senior Jasmine Aikey launched a left-footed shot from 40 yards out that beat the keeper with four seconds remaining on the clock. The goal was Aikey’s team-best 14th of the season.

Despite surrendering the three goals, Victoria Safradin made six first-half saves to keep the Cavaliers in the match as the two teams went into the break.

Virginia managed to flip the script a bit in the second half, outshooting the Cardinal 15-5 to leave the final tally even at 20-20.

The Cavaliers got one goal back in the 58th minute as Meredith McDermott received a ball on the right wing, dribbled past the Cardinal defender and powered her shot off the gloves of Caroline Birkel and into the net.

With the time winding down in the match, Virginia struck again – this time benefitting from a penalty kick to cut the deficit to one at 3-2 in the 85th minute. After a pair of tackles at the top of the box, the Cavaliers managed to play a ball high into the box where a Cardinal defender committed a foul to set up a converted PK from Maggie Cagle.

The Cardinal survived the final five minutes to secure the victory, including defending a last-ditch corner kick in the final minute of play.

Birkel, the 2025 ACC Goalkeeper of the Year, was credited with a career-high six saves – including four in the second half.

GAME NOTES:

• The Cardinal has scored at least three goals in 13 of the first 18 matches of the year
• Stanford is averaging a national-best 23.28 shots per game, having posted at least 20 in 12 of the first 18 matches, and leads the nation in scoring offense (4.00 goals per game)
• The Cardinal is 62-7-9 overall record over its last 78 matches and has won 10 straight contests
• Jasmine Aikey has contributed at least a point in 14 of the first 18 matches this season, has scored in six of her last nine, and has a goal in 11 of the 18 contests this season … leads the team in total points with 35 (team-high 14 goals and seven assists) and has contributed five game-winners … has contributed 36 career goals to rank 10th in Stanford history
• Andrea Kitahata contributed at least one point in each of the first six matches this season and has a point in 15 of the 18 matches this year … had a string of four consecutive matches with a goal halted, but has contributed at least a point in five straight matches … ranks second on the team in points with 33 (13 goals and seven assists)
• Charlotte Kohler has managed at least a point in 14 of the first 18 matches this season, including each of the last eight … posted her second career multi-goal match on Thursday – matching her two against Arizona on August 28 of this season