TUCSON, Ariz. – Despite 18 kills from Kendall Kipp, No. 7 Stanford fell at Arizona, 25-27, 17-25, 25-21, 13-25, Sunday, at the McKale Center.
Stanford dropped the season series to the Wildcats (2-4) for the first time since 2005. The Cardinal is 0-2 to start a season for the first time since 1983.
Still competing with just eight available players, Stanford improved on its serve receive from Friday. The Cardinal turned up its service pressure on offense, but was hindered by 16 service errors.
As a team, Stanford was held to a .163 attack percentage and had eight blocks and 67 digs. Arizona hit .232 and recorded 8.5 blocks and 66 digs. Both teams tallied seven service aces.
Kipp led all players with 18 kills and a career-high eight digs. Freshman middle blocker Annabelle Smith hit .412 with eight kills and two blocks, while redshirt freshman middle blocker McKenna Vicini added six kills on 12 errorless swings (.500) to go with career-highs of five blocks and four digs.
Sophomore Selina Xu turned in her first collegiate double-double with career-highs in assists (39) and digs (11). The setter also registered career-highs with three kills and four blocks. Freshman libero Elena Oglivie anchored the defense with 21 digs.
Redshirt freshman Caitie Baird notched career-bests in kills (9), digs (12) and aces (3) Sunday, while sophomore Natalie Berty pitched in with five kills and a career-high 10 digs. Freshman Malia Tufuga came off the bench as a serving specialist and put down a career-best three aces.
Arizona was led by freshman Sofia Maldonado Diaz's 15 kills and nine digs. Junior middle blocker Zyonna Fellows added 10 kills on 13 errorless swings to hit .769.
Stanford returns to the Bay Area to face rival California on Friday at 2 p.m. in Berkeley. The match will be televised on Pac-12 Networks.
