STANFORD, Calif. - The Stanford sand volleyball team wrapped-up play at the NorCal Invitational, Sunday, as three pairs reached the semifinals at Stanford Sand Volleyball Stadium.
Stanford's No. 1 pair, senior Lauren Birks and junior Brittany Howard, reached the semifinals of the 1s&2s bracket before falling to Santa Clara's Sabrina Clayton and Danielle Rottman, 21-16, 21-19.
Also reaching the semifinals in the 5s&6s bracket were freshmen Petra Grutzik and Catherine Raquel, the Cardinal's No. 5 pair, and rookies Sarah Benjamin and Karina Robinson.
Pacific's Lexi Elman and Kat Schulz defeated Clayton and Rottman in the finals of the 1s&2s bracket, 21-16, 21-18. In the 3s&4s bracket, Mary Hernandez and Alexis Salmons of Saint Mary's defeated Pacific's Mia Feiner and Gillian Howard, 21-12, 22-24, 15-12. Pacific's Taylor Poncetta and Andie Shelton capped off the tournament with a 21-18, 21-13 win over Santa Clara's Kaity Edwards and Mary Shepherd in the 5s&6s championships.
Stanford will take a three-week break before taking on San Jose State on Wednesday, April 1. Action will begin at 4:30 p.m. at Stanford Sand Volleyball Stadium.
Pairs Tournament
1s&2s (Quarterfinals)
(1) Lexi Elman/Kat Schulz (UOP) def. (1) Courtney Sabahi/Valentina Zaloznik (USF), 19-21, 21-19, 15-9
(1) Nikki Hess/Kirsten Mead (SCU) def. (2) Madi Bugg/Ivana Vanjak (STAN), 22-20, 21-19
(2) Sabrina Clayton/Danielle Rottman (SCU) def. (2) Anne-Sophie Bauer/Megan Birch (UOP), 21-14, 21-18
(1) Lauren Birks/Brittany Howard (STAN) def. (2) Jessica Gaffney/Sara Staengle (USF), 21-16, 21-19
3s&4s (Quarterfinals)
(4) Sammy Furlan/Ashley Johnson (CAL) def. (4) Kiara McKibben/Katarina Pilepic (USF), 28-26, 21-14
(3) Mia Feiner/Gillian Howard (UOP) def. (4) Maegan Conroy/Mileva Popovic (SMC), 21-16, 21-15
(3) Mary Hernandez/Alexis Salmons (SMC) def. (4) Kimmy Whitson/Alicja Wilk (UOP), 21-18, 11-21, 15-12
(3) Inanna Eshoo/Katie Regalia (CAL) def. (3) Jessica Keenan/Oluoma Okaro (USF), 21-18, 21-17
5s&6s (Quarterfinals)
(5) Taylor Poncetta/Andie Shelton (UOP) def. (5)Lana Brown/Brigitte Murdock (SSU), 21-4, 21-5
(5) Petra Grutzik/Catherine Raquel (STAN) def. (5) Samantha Pereira/Breann Robinson (SJSU), 21-8, 21-8
(7) Sarah Benjamin/Karina Robinson (STAN) def. (5) Hannah Liserra/Jordan Patchell (SMC), 21-16, 21-14
(5) Kaity Edwards/Mary Shepherd (SCU) def. (6) Katrin Gotterba/Maycie LaBass (UOP), 21-23, 21-14, 17-15
1s&2s (Semifinals)
(1) Lexi Elman/Kat Schulz (UOP) def. (1) Nikki Hess/Kirsten Mead (SCU), 21-16, 21-18
(2) Sabrina Clayton/Danielle Rottman (SCU) def. Lauren Birks/Brittany Howard (STAN), 15-21, 21-14, 18-16
3s&4s (Semifinals)
(3) Mia Feiner/Gillian Howard (UOP) def. (4) Sammy Furlan/Ashley Johnson (CAL), 21-13, 21-11
(3) Mary Hernandez/Alexis Salmons (SMC) def. (3) Inanna Eshoo/Katie Regalia (CAL), 21-11, 21-13
5s&6s (Semifinals)
(5) Taylor Poncetta/Andie Shelton (UOP) def. (5) Petra Grutzik/Catherine Raquel (STAN), 21-16, 19-21, 15-8
(5) Kaity Edwards/Mary Shepherd (SCU) def. (7) Sarah Benjamin/Karina Robinson (STAN), 19-21, 21-15, 15-13
1s&2s (Championship)
(1) Lexi Elman/Kat Schulz (UOP) def. (2) Sabrina Clayton/Danielle Rottman (SCU), 21-16, 21-18
3s&4s (Championship)
(3) Mary Hernandez/Alexis Salmons (SMC) def. (3) Mia Feiner/Gillian Howard (UOP), 21-12, 22-24, 15-12
5s&6s (Championship)
(5) Taylor Poncetta/Andie Shelton (UOP) def. (5) Kaity Edwards/Mary Shepherd (SCU), 21-18, 21-13