LOS ANGELES – For the first time since 2015, Stanford women's volleyball lost in straight sets, falling to UCLA (25-22, 25-22, 25-18), Friday, at Pauley Pavilion.
UCLA (11-7, 6-3 Pac-12) applied service pressure all night and kept the Cardinal offense off balance. No. 2 Stanford (13-4, 7-2 Pac-12) hit just .157 for the match – its second-lowest output of the season.
Senior libero Morgan Hentz tallied 12 digs, including the 2,000th of her career. She is now just the third Cardinal player to reach that milestone. She has 2,010 digs and is 138 away from breaking the school record, held by Gabi Ailes (2007-10).
For the match, the Bruins out dug the Cardinal, 48-36, and tallied three service aces. Stanford held the edge in blocks, 9.5-7.0, but committed 11 unforced hitting errors.
Senior opposite Audriana Fitzmorris and freshman outside hitter Kendall Kipp each had nine kills to lead Stanford. Junior Meghan McClure added eight kills, four digs and an ace.
Senior Madeleine Gates, who transferred to Stanford from UCLA after earning her undergraduate degree in three years, also recorded eight kills for Stanford on a team-best .261 hitting to go with three blocks.
Senior setter Jenna Gray finished with 31 assists and had a match-high five blocks, including two solo. Junior defensive specialist Kate Formico finished with 11 digs, while senior Caitlin Keefe added six.
The loss was the first on the road this season for the Cardinal and the first time since 2016 that Stanford lost to an unranked opponent. It was also Stanford's first loss this season without senior Kathryn Plummer, who has missed seven straight matches.
UCLA was led by junior Mac May's 12 kills on .333 hitting and 10 digs. Middle Emily Ryan added 11 kills on .667 hitting, while Lexi Hadrych chipped in with 10 kills.
Up next, Stanford faces USC on Sunday at the Galen Center. First serve is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Pac-12 Networks.
