PALO ALTO, Calif. – The Miami University field hockey team (13-8, 5-1 MAC) fell to No. 15 Stanford by a 3-1 margin in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament on Wednesday.

The first quarter was a game of possession as neither team recorded a shot.

Though Miami controlled possession to start the second quarter, it was No. 15 Stanford that struck first. Corinne Zanolli put the ball into the top left corner of the cage on a cross pass.

The RedHawks had multiple entries into the circle to close the first half but the Stanford defensive front stood tall as Allie Grace Joyner recorded the only shot of the first half for the Red and White. Stanford had the 3-1 edge in shots at halftime and earned the lone penalty corner of the first half.

No. 15 Stanford extended its lead with two goals in the third quarter to take a 3-0 lead into the final quarter of play. The first goal of the quarter was scored less than three minutes into the second half as the ball was lifted up and over Isabelle Perese.

Just one minute later, Stanford earned a penalty stroke after Perese stopped the initial shot on the penalty corner. Zanolli completed her hat trick with the goal as the stroke was awarded after the ball made contact with a Miami defender behind Perese.

Stanford opened the final quarter by earning a penalty corner but two kick saves by Perese kept the margin at three.

Miami earned back-to-back penalty corners with four minutes remaining but Kelsey Bing made a stop to keep the RedHawks off the board. Stanford put together a counterattack but Perese made another stop.

Leonor Berlie scored her 15^th goal of the season with less than two minutes to play. Berlie received the ball on a penalty corner and took the ball into the center of the circle before beating Bing to spoil the shutout.

Stanford led the game in shots (11-7) and penalty corners (4-3). Berlie and Lexie Nugent each had two shots to lead the RedHawks. Perese recorded five saves.