STANFORD, Calif - No. 19 Stanford split the first day of the Pac-12 North Invitational at its home court, winning 3-2 against Washington and falling 4-1 to No. 2 USC.
Stanford began the day's action with an afternoon matchup against the Washington Huskies.
The No. 2 pairing, Morgan Hentz and Sunny Villapando, put Stanford on the board first with a straight-set win over Washington.
Shannon Richardson and Blake Sharp followed, with a point for the Cardinal at the four. After defeating the Huskies 21-15 in the first set, the duo clinched its match with a 21-16 decision in the second set.
With a tied score, the decision came down to the No. 3. Despite playing together for the first time as a pair, Maddie Dailey and Amelia Smith were able to clinch the match for the Cardinal with an exciting third set victory at the three.
Stanford returned to the sand at the Stanford Beach Volleyball Stadium to take on No. 2 USC.
It was Hentz and Villapando who secured Stanford's lone point against the Trojans and their second win of the day as a pair, with a straight-set victory at the two. The duo is now 8-1 and Hentz ranks second, just behind her teammate Courtney Bowen, as Stanford's all-time individual wins leader with 45.
Stanford moves to 9-11 after the pair of duals. Tomorrow, the Cardinal returns to its home court to close out the Pac-12 North Invitational, and will face No. 1 UCLA at 1 p.m. and No. 12 California at 5 p.m.
No. 19 STANFORD 3, WASHINGTON 2
1. Gengenbacher/Julye (WASH) d. Ashkinos/Ekstrom (STAN) - 21-19, 21-13
2. Hentz/Villapando (STAN) d. Bajema/McPherson (WASH) - 21-17, 21-11
3. Dailey/Smith (STAN) d. Drechsel/McCoy (WASH) - 24-26, 22-20, 15-6
4. Richardson/Sharp (STAN) d. Niece/Peterson (WASH) - 21-15, 21-16
5. Newton/Weber (WASH) d. Anderson/Red-Horse Mohl (STAN) - 23-21, 16-21, 15-11
Order of finish (2,1,4,5,3)
No. 2 USC 4, No. 19 STANFORD 1
1. Bustamante/Graudina (USC) d. Ashkinos/Ekstrom (STAN) – 21-16, 21-15
2. Hentz/Villapando (STAN) d. Cannon/Slater (USC)– 21-19, 21-13
3. Hallgren/Poletto (USC) d. Dailey/Smith (STAN) – 21-15, 21-16
4. Dennis/Kaiser (USC) d. Richardson/Sharp (STAN) – 21-17, 21-11
5. Kujan/Martin (USC) d. Anderson/Red-Horse Mohl – 21-16, 21-18
Order of Finish (1,2,3,4,5)
