STOCKTON, Calif. – The Stanford sand volleyball team defeated Sacramento State, 3-2, but fell to Pacific, 4-1, Sunday at Ranney Sand Courts in Stockton, Calif. The Cardinal is now 3-8 on the year, while the Hornets drop to 2-8 and the Tigers move to 8-1.
Against Sacramento State, Stanford won at No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5 to pick up its third win of the season. Sophomore Madi Bugg and freshman Kelsey Humphreys started things off with a 21-13, 21-14 win over Lauren Aikels and Chelcy Motes at No. 3.
Sophomore Inky Ajanaku and junior Kyle Gilbert posted a 21-17, 21-19 win at No. 4 against the Hornets’ Kendall LaVine and Morgan Stanley for a 2-0 lead in the match.
Junior Morgan Boukather and sophomore Megan McGehee clinched the win for the Cardinal at No. 5, defeating Courtney Dietrich and Lexie Skalbeck, 21-17, 21-19.
The No. 1 and No. 2 teams were neck-and-neck throughout their matches. Stanford sophomore Brittany Howard and senior Carly Wopat dropped a 25-23, 21-19 decision at No. 1 to Katie Aprile and Kayle Beal. Junior Lauren Birks and sophomore Jordan Burgess forced a third set at No. 2, but fell 25-23, 15-21, 18-16 to Madeline Cannon and Sloan Lovett.
Against Pacific, Stanford split the first two matches against the Tigers. Ajanaku and Gilbert tallied a 22-20, 17-21, 15-5 win at No. 4 over Megan Birch and Katy Tagart to go undefeated on the day.
At No. 3, Bugg and Humphreys also played three sets, falling to Mia Feiner and Gillian Howard, 21-18, 16-21, 15-10.
Pacific took a 2-1 lead in the match as Lexi Elam and Kat Schulz defeated Birks and Wopat at No. 1, 21-18, 21-9. The Tigers then clinched the match at No. 5 as Anne-Sophie Bauer and Jessica Diederich defeated Boukather and McGehee, 23-21, 21-16.
Burgess and Howard forced a third set at No. 2, but fell 21-18, 18-21, 15-12 to Kimmy Whitson and Alicia Wilk.
Stanford freshman Grace Kennedy and sophomore Dana Ritchie won their exhibition match over Emily Christensen and Francesca Zaragoza, 21-17, 21-11.
Stanford returns to The Farm next week to play host to Santa Clara on Tuesday, April 15. Matches will begin at 3:30 p.m. at the ACSR Sand Courts.
Stanford 3, Sacramento State 2
1) Katie Aprile/Kayla Beal (SAC ST) def. Brittany Howard/Carly Wopat (STAN), 25-23, 21-19
2) Madeline Cannon/Sloan Lovett (SAC ST) def. Lauren Birks/Jordan Burgess (STAN), 25-23, 15-21, 18-16
3) Madi Bugg/Kelsey Humphreys (STAN) def. Lauren Aikels/Chelcy Motes (SAC ST), 21-13, 21-14
4) Inky Ajanaku/Kyle Gilbert (STAN) def. Kendall LaVine/Morgan Stanley (SAC ST), 21-17, 21-12
5) Morgan Boukather/Megan McGehee (STAN) def. Courtney Dietrich/Lexie Skalbeck (SAC ST), 21-17, 21-19
Pacific 4, Stanford 1
1) Lexi Elam/Kat Schulz (PAC) def. Lauren Birks/Carly Wopat (STAN), 21-18, 21-9
2) Kimmy Whitson/Alicia Wilk (PAC) def. Jordan Burgess/Brittany Howard (STAN), 21-18, 18-21, 15-12
3) Mia Feiner/Gillian Howard (PAC) def. Madi Bugg/Kelsey Humphreys (STAN), 21-18, 16-21, 15-10
4) Inky Ajanaku/Kyle Gilbert (STAN) def. Megan Birch/Katy Tagart (PAC), 22-20, 17-21, 15-5
5) Anne-Sophie Bauer/Jessica Diederich (PAC) def. Morgan Boukather/Megan McGehee (STAN), 23-21, 21-16
Exh: Grace Kennedy/Dana Ritchie (STAN) def. Emily Christensen/Francesca Zaragoza (PAC), 21-17, 21-11