HONOLULU – The No. 10 Stanford sand volleyball team went 0-3 in its season openers, Friday, at Queen’s Beach Sandbox in Honolulu, Hawai’i. The Cardinal was swept by No. 5 Hawai’i and by the defending national champions No. 3 Long Beach State, while also falling 4-1 to Loyola Marymount.
A familiar face was across the net against Stanford’s No. 1 pair, sophomores Madi Bugg and Jordan Burgess. Former Cardinal indoor player Karissa Cook graduated in 2013 and is playing for the Rainbow Wahine while attending graduate school at Hawai’i.
Junior Lauren Birks and senior Carly Wopat were the lone Cardinal pair to pick up a win on the day. Playing as the No. 3 pair against Loyola Marymount’s Caitlin Dewitt and Ashley Maxfeldt, Birks and Wopat notched a 21-16, 21-13 win for Stanford.
Stanford’s Kyle Gilbert and Brittany Howard forced a third set in each of their matches on the day, but came up empty. The duo competed as the No. 3 pair against Hawai’i and Long Beach State, and in the No. 2 spot against Loyola Marymount.
Against the Lions, Stanford’s Inky Ajanaku and Kelsey Humphreys went to a third set against Avery Bush and Taylor Akana in the No. 4 spot, falling 15-11 in the third. Cardinal junior Morgan Boukather and newcomer Dana Ritchie also played a third set against LMU in the No. 5 spot.
Stanford will be back in action on Saturday for the Rainbow Wahine Invitational at Queen’s Beach Sandbox in Honolulu. The action will consist of pool-play in the morning followed by a championship, single-elimination bracket in the afternoon.
No. 5 Hawai’i 5, No. 10 Stanford 0
1) Brittany Tiegs/Karissa Cook (UH) def. Madi Bugg/Jordan Burgess (Stan), 21-15, 21-17
2) Katie Spieler/Nikki Taylor (UH) def. Lauren Birks/Carly Wopat (Stan), 21-12, 21-17
3) Alyssa Longo/Ginger Long (UH) def. Kyle Gilbert/Brittany Howard (Stan), 21-13, 16-21, 15-6
4) London Chow/Olivia Urban (UH) def. Inky Ajanaku/Kelsey Humphreys (Stan), 21-9, 21-18
5) Hannah Rooks/Karlee Riggs (UH) def. Morgan Boukather/Dana Ritchie (Stan), 21-19, 21-16
No. 3 Long Beach State 5, No. 10 Stanford 0
1) Delainey Aigner-Swesey/Bojana Todorovic (LBSU) def. Madi Bugg/Jordan Burgess (Stan), 21-14, 21-12
2) Tyler Jackson/Janisa Johnson (LBSU) def. Lauren Birks/Carly Wopat (Stan), 21-13, 21-14
3) Chelsea Cabrajac/Bre Mackie (LBSU) def. Kyle Gilbert/Brittany Howard (Stan), 19-21, 21-14, 15-8
4) Alex Reid/Janelle Hudson (LBSU) def. Inky Ajanaku/Kelsey Humphreys (Stan), 21-17, 21-14
5) Ciara Wagner/Morea Wagner (LBSU) def. Grace Kennedy/Megan McGehee (Stan), 21-14, 21-13
Loyola Marymount 4, No. 10 Stanford 1
1) Betsi Metter/Litara Keil (LMU) def. Madi Bugg/Jordan Burgess (Stan), 21-11, 21-16
2) Rachel Suavaa/Kathleen Luft (LMU) def. Kyle Gilbert/Brittany Howard (Stan), 21-14, 19-21, 15-11
3) Lauren Birks/Carly Wopat (Stan) def. Caitlin Dewitt/Ashley Maxfeldt (LMU), 21-16, 21-13
4) Avery Bush/Taylor Akana (LMU) def. Inky Ajanaku/Kelsey Humphreys (Stan), 21-16, 17-21, 15-11
5) Anne Marie Taylor/Hannah Tedrow (LMU) def. Morgan Boukather/Dana Ritchie (Stan), 20-22, 21-11, 15-6