Stanford’s McNealy hopes to be playing for U.S. Amateur title by Keith Peters tanford junior Maverick McNealy was regarded as the best male golfer in college this past season after being honored with both the Jack Nicklaus Award and Haskins Award as the NCAA Player of the Year. The Portola Valley resident led the nation with a 68.70 scoring average, won an NCAA regional and made the cut in two PGA Tour events. At the 115th U.S. Amateur Championship, however, McNealy was just one eight first-team All-
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Americans and one of 64 talented players who battled their way into match play on Wednesday at Olympia Fields Country Club in Olympia Fields, Ill. Despite being seeded No. 39 for his first-round match against Canada’s Austin Connelly, the No. 26 seed, McNealy reached the Round of 32 by posting a 1-up victory. That triumph earned McNealy a date with No. 7 seed Maverick Antcliff on Thursday morning. Once again, McNealy responded by posting a 5-and-4 victory. McNealy won the 611-yard first
hole with a par-5, lost the second to Antcliff’s birdie, but retook a 1-up lead when Ancliff bogeyed the 390-yard, par-4 third. McNealy never looked back after that as he won the fifth to go 2 up, took the sixth for a 3-up lead and won the ninth to make the turn with a 4-up advantage when Antcliff bogeyed the 475-yard, par-4 hole. McNealy went 5 up with a par on the 13th and clinched the victory by halving the 14th as both players birdied. McNealy returned to the course later on Thursday to face No. 23
seed Bryson DeChambeau, the reigning NCAA Division I champion from SMU. Both players are members of the U.S. Walker Cup Team. McNealy grabbed a 1-up lead after the opening hole, but found himself trailing by a hole through the first nine after he bogeyed the 214-yard, par-3 seventh hole. McNealy, however, squared the match with a par-4 on the 430yard 10th hole. DeChambeau retook the lead when he birdied the 475-yard, par-4 11th hole. (For results of the
match and continuing coverage, go to www.pasportsonline.com) McNealy was hoping to find himself busy the remainder of the week with quarterfinals set for Friday, semifinals Saturday (noon, FOX Sports 1) and finals on Sunday (noon, FOX). The second-ranked amateur in the world, McNealy qualified for match play on Wednesday morning after two rounds of stroke play. Q (Stanford Athletics and USGA. com contributed)
Soccer (continued from previous page)
Bob Drebin/stanfordphoto.com
Stanford midfielder Andi Sullivan (right) was the National Freshman of the Year in 2014. All-Pac-12 team and was an honorable mention last year. Bauer, also an all-freshman pick, has been named a second team All-Pac-12 in each of her first two years. Los Altos Hills resident Siobhan Cox, forward Megan Turner and midfielder Ryan WalkerHartshorn complete a talented junior class that brings plenty of experience to the field. The juniors have combined to appear in 241 matches, including 152 starts. Sophomore midfielder Andi Sullivan said she picked Stanford because it’s a “consistently Final Four level team, even though the year before I came they didn’t make it.” Sullivan, named National Freshman of the Year by Top Drawer Soccer, was an important reason why the Cardinal returned to the national stage last year. In addition to her playing skills, Sullivan is a natural leader. Despite being one of the youngest players on club, high school and junior national teams, she’s usually named a team captain. She doesn’t have an explanation for it. “Honestly, it’s just me being myself,” Sullivan said. “My teammates push me and accept me. I think it’s part of the team chemistry. I’m just playing. My parents taught me a lot about being a leader and turn to them for guidance.” Of course, she doesn’t have that luxury while playing. As the youngest player on her Bethesda club team, she served as captain,
but turned to Carina Deandries, a junior currently playing for Northeastern, as a role model. “She’s always positive and always the hardest worker at practice or anywhere,” Sullivan said. “She helped me get through any situation and that got to me.” Sullivan plays hard and stays even-keeled. She wants to keep the team together and composed. “The goal is to make it back to the Final Four and win it,” she said. “It’s purposeful to have a unified goal. As soon as you start to play, you start to believe it. It’s positive energy.” Menlo-Atherton grad Zoe Pacalin, who appeared in four games last year, is also part of the sophomore class along with Mariah Lee, who played in 25 matches a year ago. Menlo School grad Jaye Boissiere also returns. She played 57 minutes in the season-opener and missed the rest of the year with an injury. Kyra Carusa and Alison Jahansouz also used their redshirt year. The six-member freshmen class includes two Gatorade Players of the Year and another state Player of the Year, four twotime youth All-Americans and a member of the Australian U20 national team. “We are extra confident in the freshmen class,” Sullivan said. “They came in sharp and are already excellent.” Averie Collins, all-state in both soccer and basketball, was the Montana Gatorade Player of
Bob Drebin/stanfordphoto.com
stuck with me. It was contagious. There was a 100 percent commitment from everybody.” The Cardinal was ranked third nationally in a preseason poll and was picked to win the conference title in a vote of Pac-12 coaches. Ratcliffe could do without either designation. “It’s predicated on what you did the year before,” Ratcliffe said. “Regardless of what you have accomplished, you have to prove you are capable of winning the Pac-12. A lot if may be that this recruiting class was rated No. 1, but those kids have to prove it. It’s a new group every year. We graduated some good kids and we brought in good kids. They will be tested throughout the year.” Rosen, one of five seniors who help set the tone for the year, was a redshirt in her first season due to injury. She also missed half of her sophomore year with injuries before appearing in 24 matches in last year’s run to the Final Four. “My personal journey is one I would never had expected,” she said. “It does make me all the more appreciative of the opportunities I’ve had. I feel so fortunate to be part of Stanford soccer. Paul creates an amazing environment.” Senior defender Laura Liedle is, perhaps, the steadiest and most reliable player on the field, having started 69 (of a possible 70) matches, including the past 55 in succession. She was named a freshman All-American and was an All-Pac-12 honorable mention pick last year. “She’s going to be a good leader,” Ratcliffe said. “You hope (seniors) can help coach on the field.” Other seniors include goalie Sarah Cox and midfielders Kate Bettinger and Katie Donague. Liedle leads a defense that not only proved stingy in allowing goals but also in allowing shots on goal, helping junior goalie Jane Campbell record a historic season. Campbell had 14 shutouts, second-most in a single season at Stanford. She had a scoreless streak of over 800 minutes at one point and has 20 shutouts, sixth on Stanford’s all-time list. Two other important defenders also return in juniors Stephanie Amack and Maddie Bauer. Amack, who also plays in the midfield at times, has been a Defender of the Week, voted onto the
Fifth-year season Haley Rosen hopes 2015 will be a healthy year for herself and her teammates.
STANFORD WOMEN’S SOCCER 2015 Date Friday Aug. 24 Aug. 28 Sept. 4 Sept. 11 Sept. 13 Sept. 17 Sept. 20 Sept. 25 Oct. 2 Oct. 4 Oct. 8 Oct. 11 Oct. 16
Opponent at Hawaii at BYU# vs. Boston College at Cal Poly-SLO vs. Penn St. vs. Oklahoma vs. UC Davis at Santa Clara at Utah* at Arizona St.* at Arizona* vs. Oregon St.* vs. Oregon* vs. Colorado*
Time 10 p.m. 10 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 8 p.m. 1 p.m. 7 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 3 p.m. 7 p.m. 11 a.m. 7 p.m. 8 p.m. 8 p.m.
the Year. Her father, Shane Collins, played in the NFL for three years. Michelle Xiao was named Nebraska’s Gatorade Player of the Year, was a two-time youth All-American and a state Junior Olympic hurdles champ. Alana Cook earned New Jersey prep Player of the Year honors and was a two-time youth All-American, as was Jordan DiBiasi and
Date Opponent Time Oct. 22 at WSU* 7 p.m. Oct. 25 at Washington* 5 p.m. Oct. 29 vs. USC* 7 p.m. Nov. 1 vs. UCLA* 3:30 p.m. Nov. 6 vs. Cal* 6 p.m. Nov. 13 NCAA first round Nov. 20 NCAA second round Nov. 22 NCAA third round Nov. 27 NCAA quarterfinals Dec. 4 College Cup semifinals@ Dec. 6 College Cup finals@ # in Honolulu, Hawaii * Pac-12 Conference @ Cary, N.C.
Teagan McGrady, who was also a California state qualifier in the 200 and 400 relay in track and field. Penelope Edmonds joined the Australian U20 team as a 16-year-old. Rosen’s advice to the freshmen? “I know this sounds cheesy but it’s to have fun because it goes by so quickly,” she said. “And remember the journey.” Q
www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto Weekly • August 21, 2015 • Page 61