Reeling Cardinal Faces Nation's Stingiest Defense in Sunday Showdown with No. 3 Wake Forest

Stanford is still searching for its first ACC win of the season. Its next opponent has allowed just two goals all season.

Three days after its 21-match home unbeaten streak ended against Louisville, No. 6 Stanford is right back at Cagan Stadium — this time against a team that might be an even tougher matchup. No. 3 Wake Forest rolls into Palo Alto on Sunday at 1 p.m. and is undefeated at 9-0-0, fresh off a 3-1 win at Cal on Thursday that kept its perfect start to the season.

The number that should worry Stanford is two. That's how many goals Wake Forest has allowed all season, a mark that leads the ACC and ranks near the top nationally.

Goalkeeper Valentina Amaral has been at the center of the stinginess, posting a .929 save percentage and five individual shutouts this season. She was named ACC Co-Goalkeeper of the Week for the second time this year on Tuesday, just days after Wake Forest defeated a No. 13-ranked Virginia team on the road.

Stanford's own numbers make the matchup even more daunting. The Cardinal outshot Louisville 19-8 on Thursday and still lost 1-0, unable to solve a goalkeeper who made five saves. Facing a Wake Forest backline that has conceded just twice in nine games, generating quality looks won't be the problem — finishing them will be.

The Demon Deacons aren't just defending well; they're getting contributions from everywhere. Redshirt-junior Sierra Sythe leads the team in goals, points and game-winners while anchoring the defense, and has started all 43 games of her career.

Sophomore Kylie Maxwell scored the winner against Virginia, and the attacking trio of Maxwell, Henley Tippins, and Allie Flanagan have combined for most of Wake Forest's offense this season.

Head coach Tony da Luz, in his 30th season with the program, has the Deacs at No. 3 nationally and one of only two remaining unbeaten, untied programs in the country.

For Stanford, the stakes are straightforward. A loss would put the Cardinal at 0-3-0 in ACC play for the first time in program history. Stanford has also been shut out in consecutive matches for the first time since 2021.

The silver lining is personnel: Stanford is expected to have its five U-20 World Cup players — goalkeeper Caroline Birkel, defender Lizzie Boamah, midfielder Y-Lan Nguyen, goalkeeper Kaiya Jota and forward Eleanor Klinger — back and available for the first time all season, giving head coach Paul Ratcliffe a full roster to throw at one of the nation's toughest defenses.