STANFORD, Calif. - A hard-fought battle between ACC foes ended without a score on Sunday night, as No. 1 Stanford played SMU to a 0-0 draw at Cagan Stadium.
The Cardinal (12-1-2, 5-1-1 ACC) sealed an unbeaten regular season record at home for the first time since the 2020 season with the draw and recorded its fifth straight clean sheet, extending the program's longest streak since the 2017 national championship squad held nine consecutive opponents scoreless.
The result, however, also snapped Stanford's program record-tying nine-match home win streak.
“I thought we created some good chances but we were just a step off on a couple of things,” said Knowles Family Director of Men’s Soccer Jeremy Gunn. “We knew it would be a really hard game and they’re a great side. We’re a little bit frustrated that we didn’t get the win, but we’ll keep pushing.”
Stanford took charge at the start of the match, nearly finding the opener in the 23rd minute when Shane De Flores cycled a ball up the right wing to Zach Bohane. Bohane found a streaking Fletcher Bank into the box, but Bank punched it just wide of the left post.
The Mustangs generated some chances of their own as the half progressed, but it was the Cardinal who came close again on a 44th-minute free kick chance as Joshua Partal found Tomo Allen in the center of the box, but Allen's header was smothered by the SMU netminder.
After a scoreless first 45 minutes which saw the Cardinal tally eight shots to SMU's five, the Cardinal continued to press forward looking for of the breakthrough. The Cardinal had another threatening chance in the 65th minute, as an Alfonso Tenconi-Gradillas header off a Partal corner forced goalkeeper Martin Dominguez to make a jumping save to punch the ball over the crossbar.
SMU looked to pick up some momentum midway through the second half with five unanswered attacks, but each shot was dispelled by the Stanford defense. Rowan Schnebly came up big in SMU's most threatening chance of the night, collecting a strike in transition from Stephan Soghomonian to keep the match level.
Stanford recorded five shots in the final ten minutes in search of another late game-winner, but the back three of SMU held the Cardinal offense at bay and the game ended in a scoreless draw.
“Obviously, we would’ve loved to win but the boys fought hard and earned the draw,” said captain Zach Bohane, who celebrated senior night with the graduating class on Sunday. “We could’ve had one, they could’ve had one. That’s just how soccer goes sometimes."
The final scoresheet saw Stanford hold an 18-13 advantage in shots and a 9-5 edge on corner kicks, although both teams had moments in the evenly-matched bout.
Stanford will close out the regular season on the road against California on Oct. 31 at 2 p.m., where a win would clinch the ACC regular season title and the No. 1 seed in the ACC Tournament.
“We get to play for a regular season championship, and that's exciting,” said Gunn. “There’s not too much we have to change, just continue to be rock solid at the back and keep figuring out how we can unlock the defense.”