ATHERTON, CA – The 2026 Menlo Women's Soccer season is officially underway, and it was Leilani Phillips who PHILLED the box score on opening day. The freshman Phillips recorded a goal and an assist as the Oaks built a two-goal first-half advantage before playing Northwest Nazarene University to a 2-2 draw Saturday morning.
Menlo struck early and often in the opening half, taking a 2-0 lead into the break behind goals from Phillips and Aubrey Dollins. Northwest Nazarene battled back with two second-half goals to level the match, but freshman goalkeeper Caroline Cordes turned in an impressive collegiate debut with seven saves to help the Oaks secure a result in their first match of the 2026 campaign.
Oak Leaders
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Leilani Phillips scored Menlo's first goal of the 2026 season in the fifth minute
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Phillips added an assist on Menlo's second goal and led the Oaks with three points
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Aubrey Dollins scored in the 36th minute to give Menlo a 2-0 halftime lead
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Jacky Vasquez Lopez was credited with the assist on Phillips' opening goal
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Freshman goalkeeper Caroline Cordes made seven saves in her collegiate debut
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Menlo opened the match with three shots in the span of just four seconds before Phillips finished the opening scoring sequence
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The Oaks answered Northwest Nazarene's first goal with a three-shot flurry in just six seconds midway through the second half
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Menlo generated five corner kick opportunities, including four in the second half
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The Oaks held Northwest Nazarene scoreless through the opening 65 minutes of the contest
First Half Belongs to the Oaks
Menlo wasted little time establishing its attacking presence on opening day. The Oaks generated an early corner kick before putting together a relentless sequence in the fifth minute. Avery Grieve first forced a save from the Northwest Nazarene goalkeeper, and Vasquez Lopez followed with a shot that was stopped by the Nighthawks' defense. Just moments later, Phillips found the back of the net, finishing the sequence to give Menlo a 1-0 lead in the fifth minute.
The Oaks continued to control the momentum throughout the opening half and doubled their advantage in the 36th minute. This time, Phillips turned provider, finding Dollins for Menlo's second goal of the morning. The score gave the Oaks a 2-0 lead heading into halftime, while Cordes added two first-half saves to preserve the clean sheet through 45 minutes.
Northwest Nazarene shifted the momentum in the second half, cutting the Menlo lead in half in the 66th minute before eventually finding the equalizer in the 87th. Still, the Oaks continued to create opportunities throughout the half. Menlo responded to the Nighthawks' first goal with three consecutive shots in a matter of seconds, while Phillips remained active around the goal throughout the match. Cordes also came up with several key stops down the stretch, including three saves in the final 12 minutes, finishing her collegiate debut with seven total.
Up Next…
Menlo will hit the road for their next contest, traveling to face Dominican University on Tuesday, September 1st at 1pm. The Oaks will look to build on a promising opening performance and carry their attacking momentum into their first road match of the 2026 season.
