BERKELEY -- California remains atop the America East standings with a crucial upset over 14th-ranked Stanford, 4-2, Sunday afternoon on Underhill Field. The Golden Bears improve to 8-6 overall and 3-1 in conference play.
 
Megan Rodgers, who earlier this weekend jumped into the top 10 among Cal's single-season goals leaders, added another goal to bring her season total to 15, plus an assist. Melina Moore scored for the third time in five games to bring her season total to six, Janaye Sakkas earned her third and Mara Gutierrez added her second of the season with another strong all-around performance.
 
Cal opened the match with a 10th-minute score by Moore, who drove toward the cage and sprawled across the edge of the circle to complete a play from Femke Delissen.
 
Moore's bold play set the tone the rest of the way through, and before halftime Rodgers broke away from the Cardinal defense to add another goal for the Bears.
 
Outshooting the visitor 6-3 after the first half, Cal took a 2-0 lead into halftime.
 
Stanford got one back in the 42nd minute as Corinne Zanolli chucked a shot into the center of the cage.
 
Unlike last weekend, when Cal allowed Ohio State three unanswered after taking a 2-0 lead, the Bears continued to stifle the Stanford offense, adding two more goals as insurance. Gutierrez shot a penalty corner ball from Katrina Carter toward the cage, and it tipped in after Cardinal goalkeeper Kelsey Bing got a hand on it.
 
Stanford pulled Bing at 62:50, and less than two minutes later Sakkas tipped the ball into a wide open cage with the help of Rodgers.
 
A second Cardinal goal in the 67th minute, delivered by Frances Carstens, wasn't enough to avoid the upset.
 
Bing finished the day with four saves after Cal outshot Stanford 9-6 despite the Cardinal's 7-1 lead in penalty corners. Bear goalie Danielle Mentink tallied two saves in her complete-game performance.
 
 
HEAD COACH SHELLIE ONSTEAD'S TAKE
On game overall:
"The whole challenge them today was to play the first half, and in the second half we would be fine. I almost felt like in the last game that they were holding something in reserve. It was great to have this whole atmosphere and extra adrenaline to be able to say, 'Do it in the first half, and then there will be plenty for the second half.' It worked out great."
 
"It's fun to be the underdog. It's easy to set that up – trust in your game, take care of the little things, do what you've been doing well, learn from your losses. Like I've been saying all year, baby steps to put this in place, and it will pay off. It did today. We got to go against a few different situations, so tactically speaking, we're learning all the time and it's about being ready for this weekend."
 
CAL'S GOALS
9:32 – Melina Moore (assisted by Femke Delissen)
Moore says: I saw the opening lane from Femke and we locked eyes. There was one defender on me and I went through her feet. Going into the circle, I knew I needed to dive because otherwise I would have roofed it, so I dove through to keep it on the ground and aimed back post and it went in.
 
28:47 – Megan Rodgers (unassisted)
Rodgers says: I tackled the defender rolling out of the circle and dribbled in baseline. I moved the goalie and hit it between her legs.
 
54:59 – Mara Gutierrez (unassisted)
Gutierrez says: It was off Femke. She stopped it at the top of the circle, and I shot it. I was hoping that someone would get a tip for it, and it was off the goalie. I knew she would make the initial shot, and thankfully it ricocheted off her in.
 
63:52 – Janaye Sakkas (assisted by Megan Rodgers)
 
STANFORD'S GOALS
41:38 – Corinne Zanolli (unassisted)
66:44 – Frances Carstens (assisted by Sarah Johnson, Katie Keyser)
 
NEXT UP
California closes out regular-season home action against UC Davis at Underhill Field on Friday at 6 p.m. before a rematch with Stanford on the Farm, Sunday at 3 p.m. in the regular-season finale.