STANFORD, Calif. – No. 14 Stanford lost 4-1 and 3-2 decisions against Saint Mary's and Cal, respectively, on Saturday at the Stanford Sand Volleyball Stadium.
"We are thankful that Cal and Saint Mary's brought great competition and some new schemes today," said first-year head coach Andrew Fuller. "We'll learn from today and carry on as we move past this first phase of the season."
No. 5 pair Kat Anderson and Courtney Bowen led off with a win for Stanford (5-2, 1-1 Pac-12) against Saint Mary's, but the Gaels (4-2) leveled the dual at the No. 4 spot. Morgan Hentz and Caitlin Keefe lost their first match of the season, making it 1-1 after the opening round of matches.
No. 3 pair Catherine Raquel and Shannon Richardson lost a 21-19, 24-22 decision before Saint Mary's clinched the dual with a third point. No. 2 pair Ivana Vanjak and Payton Chang lost, 21-12, 21-17 to make it 3-1 in favor of the Gaels. Saint Mary's finished the match with a win at the No. 1 position, defeating Kathryn Plummer and Jenna Gray, 21-19, 19-21, 15-12.
Against Cal, Stanford dropped the first two matches to fall behind, 2-0. No. 5 pair Anderson and Bowen dropped their first match of the season, 21-17, 21-16, giving Cal the early lead. The Golden Bears (6-0, 2-0 Pac-12) doubled their advantage with a win over Hentz and Keefe at the No. 4 spot, 13-21, 21-19, 15-11.
Stanford got a point back courtesy of No. 1 pair Plummer and Gray, who won their match, 21-17, 21-16. Cal clinched the dual at the No. 3 spot with a 21-19, 21-13 win over Raquel and Richardson, before No. 2 pair Vanjak and Chang won, 18-21, 21-18, 15-12, to make the final score 3-2.
Stanford's exhibition pair of Chelsea Red-Horse Mohl and Jennifer DiSanto finished the day 1-1. The duo defeated Saint Mary's in three sets, 21-19, 20-22, 16-14, before losing 21-18, 20-22, 15-8 against Cal.
"The team is excited to review the film together and continue to grow before we head to Los Angeles," added Fuller. "We're even more thankful for the great showing of support from the Stanford family on this beautiful day."
Stanford returns to action in two weeks when it travels to face Cal State Northridge on March 25 in Los Angeles. The Cardinal then faces Irvine Valley College and Hawaii in Irvine, California, before returning home to host San Francisco and San Jose State on April 7.
Cal 4, Utah 1
1. Bark/Merino (Cal) def. Anae/Katoa (Utah) 21-17, 23-21
2. Choy/Barton (Utah) def. Rodberg/Campbell (Cal) 21-23, 21-7, 15-13
3. Stepanof/Gaffney (Cal) def. Trueman/Doehrmann (Utah) 21-7, 21-15
4. Lindahl/Anderson (Cal) def. Glasker/Luafalemana (Utah) 19-21, 21-14, 15-8
5. Gustafson/Neff (Cal) def. Oblad/Twohig (Utah) 21-18, 21-18
Exh. Dueck/Regalia (Cal) def. Boudreaux/Sproule (Utah) 21-12, 21-10
Saint Mary's 4, Stanford 1
1. Knudsen/Rund (SMC) def. Plummer/Gray (Stan) 21-19, 19-21, 15-12
2. Chase/Bible (SMC) def. Vanjak/Chang (Stan) 21-12, 21-17
3. Calvin/Hernandez (SMC) def. Raquel/Richardson (Stan) 21-19 24-22
4. Salmons/Parker (SMC) def. Hentz/Keefe, C. (Stan) 11-21, 21-14, 15-11
5. Anderson/Bowen (Stan) def. Wilkerson/Young (SMC) 21-11, 17-21, 15-7
Exh. Red-Horse Mohl/DiSanto (Stan) def. Dodd/O'Sullivan (SMC) 21-19, 20-22, 16-14
Saint Mary's 4, Utah 1
1. Knudsen/Rund (SMC) def. Anae/Katoa (Utah) 21-13, 21-15
2. Choy/Barton (Utah) def. Chase/Bible (SMC) 22-20, 21-19
3. Calvin/Hernandez (SMC) def. Doehrmann/Trueman (Utah) 19-21, 25-23, 15-9
4. Salmons/Parker (SMC) def. Glasker/Oblad (Utah) 21-10, 21-13
5. Wilkerson/Young (SMC) def. Luafalemana/Twohig (Utah) 16-21, 21-16, 15-9
Cal 3, Stanford 2
1. Plummer/Gray (Stan) def. Bark/Merino (Cal) 21-17, 21-16
2. Vanjak/Chang (Stan) def. Rodberg/Campbell (Cal) 18-21, 21-18, 15-12
3. Stepanof/Gaffney (Cal) def. Raquel/Richardson (Stan) 21-19, 21-13
4. Lindahl/Anderson (Cal) def. Hentz/Keefe (Stan) 13-21, 21-19, 15-11
5. Gustafson/Neff (Cal) def. Anderson/Bowen (Stan) 21-17, 21-16
Exh. Dueck/Regalia (Cal) def. Red-Horse Mohl/DiSanto (Stan) 21-18, 20-22, 15-8
