BERKELEY – While No. 22 California's offense outmaneuvered No. 4 Stanford to open the conference finale on Thursday, the Golden Bears were unable to maintain its aggressiveness and fell 1-0 at Laird Q. Cagan Stadium to give up the series for the third consecutive season.
 
Despite a scoreless first half, the Bears (11-6-0, 6-4-0 Pac-12) led the shot count into the break 9-6, recording seven shots on target, while the Cardinal was limited to a single shot on goal.
 
Unfortunately, Stanford (15-2-1, 9-0-1) trudged back adding 10 shots within the first 22 minutes of the second period, limiting Cal to one shot the entire half, and finally struck gold in the 77th' minute, knocking a header into the lower right post to move ahead and provide the final margin.
 
While not ending conference play on a favorable note, Cal finished second in the Pac-12 with six wins, including a sweep of San Diego State and UCLA. It marks the Bears' best finish in league standings, since they won the crown in 2010.
 
Cal's 11 wins also marks the most in a single season since 2013 when the Bears finished 12-4-2 before heading into the playoffs.

The Bears await an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, with the Selection Show set for Nov. 13 at 10 a.m. (PT).  A field of 48 will complete the bracket, 24 conference champions earn an automatic berth, while the remaining 24 entries will be selected by NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Committee.
 
Under Grimes, the Bears have seen post season action on 10 occasions, appearing in the College Cup once in 2006.
 
For more information on Cal men's soccer follow the team @CalMSoc on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.