SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) Kiara Pickett drilled home a penalty kick after freshman goalkeeper Katie Meyer saved the previous shot to lift Stanford past North Carolina 5-4 on penalty kicks after a scoreless draw Sunday night in the NCAA championship game.
The Cardinal (24-1) won their third overall title and first since 2017. North Carolina (24-2-1) lost for the fifth time in 26 national appearances.
''We had to be the team who wanted it more,'' said Pickett, from San Jose. ''Knowing Katie did her job, I had to do mine.''
Meyer blocked two shots during the penalty phase, while North Carolina's Claudia Dickey blocked a shot and had a goal.