Cardinal silences record crowd in Happy Valley

• by Paul Kennedy  @pkedit, Aug 25, 2012

[PENN STATE-STANFORD] Defending champion Stanford extended its winning streak to 25 games when Mariah Nogueira scored with under three minutes left to give the No. 2 Cardinal a 3-2 victory over No. 3 Penn State before an overflow crowd of 5,117 fans that set a women's record in Happy Valley.

Stanford rallied from an early deficit to take the lead on goals by Alex Doll – the first of the sophomore’s collegiate career -- and Sydney Payne, the latter in the 63rd minute on a pass from Doll.
 
But U.S. international Christine Nairn equalized from the penalty spot, setting the stage for Nogueira to win the game with a header off Taylor McCann’s corner kick.

“I’ve coached in a World Cup and a gold-medal game,” said Penn State coach Erica Walsh, who has been an assistant for the U.S. women's national team since 2008. “The energy didn’t touch that I felt tonight. Blue and White, Penn State pride, whatever you want to call it. It was so electric. I just want to thank the crowd and Stanford for flying out here and giving us this opportunity to play the best and I thought we put out best foot forward tonight.”

Freshman Mallory Weber, who scored twice in her collegiate debut a week earlier at Virginia, was again a constant threat for the Nittany Lions, scoring their first goal and finishing with four shots on goal.

The crowd smashed the previous mark of 3,912 set in 2010 against Virginia.

Aug. 24 in University Park, Pa.
Penn State 2 Stanford 3. Goals: Goals: Weber (Nairn) 19, Nairn (pen.) 83; Doll (Verloo) 23, Sydney Payne (Doll) 63, Nogueira (McCann) 88.
Penn State -- McNulty, Garcia, Chapic, Church, Hovington, Hurd, Nairn, Evans, Cedeno, Weber, Costa. Subs: Persson, Eckerstrom.
Stanford -- Gleason, Garciamendez, Quon, Romine, Bettinger, Liedle, Nogueira, Doll, Verloo, Sydney Payne, Griffen. Subs: Shelby Payne, McCann, LaBonta, Rosen.
Att.: 5,117.
--------------------------------
Email: Send releases to Soccer America
Friend Soccer America Facebook
Follow Soccer America Twitter
Sign up College Soccer Reporter