Stanford field hockey hosts UC Davis (2-5) at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22, at Varsity Turf in the program's Mental Health Awareness Match.

The Cardinal (6-1) returns home after its first loss of the season, a 3-1 defeat to No. 1 Northwestern on Thursday, Sept. 17. According to Stanford Athletics, Stanford held the nation's top-ranked team scoreless through 30 minutes. Summer Knight-Thompson put the Cardinal ahead early in the second half, but Northwestern answered with three unanswered goals across the third and fourth quarters.

Goalkeeper Anya Jackson, a junior, made a career-high 12 saves in that loss. She became only the third Stanford goalkeeper to record 12 saves in a game since the 2019 season. Jackson has started all seven games, posting a 1.04 goals-against average and a .811 save percentage.

After Stanford's 2-1 win over Central Michigan on Aug. 31, head coach Roz Ellis praised Jackson's growing command. "Anya was a well-deserved 'Player of the Game' and she is commanding everyone to a really high standard," Ellis said after that Aug. 31 victory.

Horlock, Hoppe and Jackson were three of four Stanford players named to the NFHCA Division I Watchlist before the season, joined by freshman Opal Sparling.

Senior Star Horlock and midfielder Natalie Hoppe co-lead the Cardinal with nine points each. Horlock, who missed last season while training with the England National Team, has four goals and four game-winners. Hoppe leads the team with five assists. Knight-Thompson is tied for second on the team with three goals and scored in consecutive games for the first time in her career against Northwestern. Nine different players have scored this season.

Stanford's penalty corner defense has been a strength all year. The unit is 25-for-27 on clearances, allowing just two penalty corner goals through seven games.

UC Davis arrives at Varsity Turf after a 7-0 loss to No. 1 Northwestern on Sunday, Sept. 20, a game in which the Wildcats outshot the Aggies 21-1.

Stanford owns a 28-3 advantage in the all-time series and shut out UC Davis in each of the last two meetings, including a 3-0 win last season at Varsity Turf.

Tuesday's game is the second of a three-game homestand for the Cardinal.