The Cardinal claimed back-to-back National Championship D1 titles on Saturday, defeating rivals Cal at home in front of a packed crowd at Steuber Stadium. The stadium was divided with Stanford and Cal fans as the Stanford Tree rallied the crowd. 

The initial minutes were a battle as both teams settled in. Stanford quickly leaned into its kicking game that has strongly impacted their gameplay this season. While Cal responded well, Stanford used the tactical advantage to gain territory and force turnovers. In the 4th minute, the Cardinal took a quick tap following an offsides penalty on Cal. Scrumhalf Emma Cruz '25 moved the ball quickly to flyhalf Laura Bocek, ’25, who pinned the Cal winger and set Journey Washingtonhigh '25 blazing down the sideline and in for the first try. Bocek slotted the conversion from the 5-meter channel to take the 7-0 lead. 

Just minutes later, off of a Cardinal lineout just inside the Cal 22 meters, fullback Cara Feit '26 ran a strike line through the Cal defense bringing her team to 5 meters out. It was then in the 9th minute that flanker Sydney “Spud” Davis, ’25, picked the ball from the back of the ruck and dove in for the try. Bocek converted the score for the 14-0 lead. 

In the 16th minute, Cal returned a kick from Bocek. Finding some front foot ball, the Bears looked for an opportunity to seize momentum. Cal #12 Mariah Overby spotted a gap in the Cardinal defense and finished from 50 meters out to bring the score to 14-5 to Stanford. 

The Bears knocked on the subsequent kickoff putting the Cardinal in great field position with a scrum inside the Cal 22m. #8 Kirsten Lees, ’27, the PMRC conference MVP in her second year of rugby, picked the ball from the scrum and was brought down just shy of the tryline. From there, the Stanford forwards took charge of the possession. In the 19th minute, prop Vanessa Ohuoha, ’25, dove through the defense for the try. Bocek kicked the conversion to take the 21-5 lead.

In the 35th minute, the Cardinal earned a 5m lineout at the boot of Bocek. The lineout drive condensed the Cal defense and moved the ball through the hands to Washingtonhigh who was in for her second of the day. Cal would find the tryline once more before the half to bring the score to 26-10 to Stanford at the half. 

Cal stepped out after the halftime break re-energized as they began to play in the Cardinal half. In the 45th minute, Cal forced a Stanford knock on just meters from the tryline. Cal’s #7 quickly recovered the ball and Cal moved the ball through their centers to find their wing #9 in for the try. Despite the Cardinal only having scored one more try than Cal at this point, the score was 26-15 as Stanford had converted 75% of its conversions. 

Over the next 20 minutes, the Cardinal opened the scoreline as Lees '27 and center Chisa Ogaki '28 glittered the scorecard. Lees tallied her first from a pick off the back of the scrum 5 meters from the Cal tryline.  Off the next kickoff, the Cardinal strung together a series of strong carries and line breaks to work into the Cal 22m. Rolling with the momentum, Cruz found Bocek who set up Lees to dance through the defense and dive in for her second for the 36-15 lead.

In the 59th minute, a dropped ball by Cal was scooped up by Ogaki who sprinted from 60 meters out and into the tryzone untouched. Ogaki converted the try to bring the score to 43-15. Four minutes later in the 63rd minute, Lees was in for her third after the Cardinal forwards dominated possession sparked by huge runs from Hope Adhanom-Shipman, ’25, and Madisyn Cunningham, ’27. Ogaki slotted the extra two as the Cardinal took a commanding 50-15 lead. 

In the 68th minute, Lees would return the favor to Cunningham as big impacts by Lees set Cunningham up for the try. The celebrations from that try rang throughout the stands as Ogaki posted a third conversion for the 57-15 lead. As the game neared its final minutes, a Stanford yellow card would leave the Cardinal down a player for the remainder of the match. Cal scored two tries to finish the game. 

As the final whistle blew, a sea of Cardinal rushed the pitch in celebration of the back-to-back National Championship Stanford Cardinals. Lees not only earned a hat trick on the evening but also well-deserved MVP honors. Captain Leila Wang Gaouette hoisted the Championship trophy as her team cheered on. Stanford women’s rugby claims its sixth national championship title in front of a home crowd. 

Follow @stanford_rugby on Instagram to check out the Try of the Weekend and @oshulo for captivating action shots by Oscar Lopez Photography. Head to the CRAA YouTube channel to watch a replay of the game commentated by USA Eagles Carly Waters and Madison Hughes. The latter a Stanford GSB student among his plentiful rugby accolades. The Cardinal will pivot to rugby 7s next week as they prepare for the 7s National Championship event on May 2-4, 2025.