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No. 1 Stanford faced off against No. 2 Notre Dame in an electric ACC championship game decided by a penalty shootout and a freshman goalkeeper.
Freshman goalkeeper Caroline Birkel led the Cardinal to victory and a automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
The Game
Stanford was the first team on the board with a goal from Allie Montoya in the 29th minute. They doubled their lead early in the second half when senior Jasmie Aikey buried her 15th goal of the year.
Notre Dame responded in the 69th minute when ACC Offensive Player of the Year Izzy Engle scored her 19th goal of the season. Following Engle’s momentum, Charlie Codd tied up the match just a few minutes later.
Notre Dame outshot Stanford 15-3 in the second half, putting Birkel under intense pressure in goal.
Birkel’s Moment in the Shootout
That pressure on Birkel didn’t relent. And neither did she.
As the team headed into shootouts, Birkel made a crucial save on Notre Dame’s fourth attempt. When Stanford missed their fourth attempt, the Cardinal needed one more save.
And Birkel delivered it.
Watching the game, we saw a freshman goalkeeper staying calm between the posts, locked in on every shot, and trusted by a roster full of experience.
“Your class year doesn't define your ceiling. Your work, your resilience, and your belief do.”
A Freshman With a Veteran Resume
Even though she’s only a freshman, Birkel has already stacked a resume that most keepers spend years chasing. She’s an ACC champion, ACC Goalkeeper of the Year, All-ACC first-team selection, and ACC All-Freshman team honoree.
Internationally, she helped the United States earn a bronze medal at the FIFA U-20 Championship, while also taking part in multiple youth national team camps at the U-16, U-17, U-19, and U-20 levels.
Her talent transcends her age. And she shows us all that our age doesn’t have to define our confidence, our performance, or our success.
The VIS Take
For all of us watching this game, Birkel’s performance is proof. Proof that we can be young and still lead a back line. Proof that we can be new to a team and still step up in the most pressure-filled minutes of the season.
Stanford’s championship will be remembered for incredible goals and a dramatic shootout. But it will also be remembered as the night a freshman goalkeeper helped lead a No. 1 team to a conference title and showed every young keeper watching what’s possible when preparation meets the moment.
For us, the takeaway is simple: your class year doesn't define your ceiling. Your work, your resilience, and your belief do.
