Stanford Men's Soccer Dominates Season Opener

Stanford men’s soccer began their season on Thursday, August 21st, hoping to have another legendary season on The Farm.

Over the years, Stanford has been known as one of the best soccer programs in the nation. Their three peat in 2015, ‘16, and ‘17, as well as 11 regular season conference championships just increase what they have done on the pitch.

Going into 2025, Stanford was in an interesting position. They had been knocked out early in the tournament by Ohio State in penalties, but had some great pieces for the following year. Star Jack Bohane among an amazing midfield and attack looked like a recipe for success. Bringing in the number two recruiting class in the nation surely helps too.

However, there was just one thing left to do. Win the national championship and bring the trophy to The Farm. It’s a tall task, but after just one game, their goals look pretty achievable.

Stanford took on Sac State in the opening match, hoping to get off to a hot start, and they sure did. The Cardinal won 5-1, and completely controlled the pitch all game.

The dominance started just one minute in, when Fletcher Bank put one past the keeper, giving Stanford a 1-0 lead. Zach Bohane added on in the 17th minute to make it two-nil. However, a penalty kick allowed the Hornets to stay in it. Right before halftime, Stanford’s Trevor Islam put one in, to make it 3-1 at the break.

In the second half, Jack Pymm found the back of the net, before Islam knocked down his second of the afternoon. And that was it. Stanford had won the season opener 5-1.

In a truly dominant win, Stanford took home their first win of the year. The Cardinal took 25 shots throughout the game, while Sac State took just six. Possession numbers aren’t tracked but a fair guesstimate is that Stanford had the ball 70% of the time, or even more. In other words, they controlled the pitch all afternoon.

This was a big opener for Stanford. Getting a massive win to begin the year is no easy task, but the Cardinal did it with ease. This Sunday, Stanford will take on Denver in what could be another boost early on in the season.

The Pioneers are ranked No. 4 in the nation according to the NCAA, and will surely be a tough one. This season will be a marathon, not a sprint, and Stanford is ready to not only take the game in front of them, but each and every one this season.