LOS ANGELES– Behind dominant performances by twos pair senior Charlie Ekstrom and sophomore Kate Reilly, the Stanford Beach Volleyball team split its first day of action in Los Angeles.
The Cardinal started the day with three consecutive victories on courts two, three, and four to capture the match win over No. 11 Cal Poly. Ekstrom and Reilly silenced the Mustangs duo of Piper Ferch and Jayelin Lombard by a score of 21-8, 21-15, followed by fours pair freshmen Emma Morris and Taylor Wilson earning a decisive win for Stanford's second point. Threes pair sophomores Maya Harvey and Emmy Sharp secured the win with a 23-21, 21-18 close-fought dual with Cal Poly's Eleonore Johansen and Delaney Peranich. Both of Stanford's ones and fives pairs came back from first-set losses to win their second sets but were unable to secure their court's point in third-set play.
Stanford then met the No. 7 Grand Canyon Lopes on the campus of USC, falling just shy of the match victory in a three-set battle on court three. Ekstrom and Reilly once again were impressive on court two, topping GCU's Allison Hansen and Allanis Navas 21-19, 21-15. The Cardinal's fours pair of Morris and Wilson came back from a first-set stumble with a second set win to push the match to a 15-point final set. The duo could not complete the comeback, losing 15-11 in set three. After senior Maddie Dailey and Jordan McKinney dropped their match on court five, sophomore Xolani Hodel and senior Maddi Kriz tied the match back up at two with a two-set victory on court one 21-17, 21-18. Harvey and Sharp stormed back from a first set loss to dominate their second set and push it to a third. But, after the Cardinal took a strong lead to start the third set, a final push by the Lopes gave Grand Canyon the match point and the win in set three.
The Cardinal are back at it on Sunday in Los Angeles, meeting No. 14 Long Beach State at 10 a.m. and No. 1 USC at noon in Merle Norman Stadium.
No. 8 Stanford 3, No. 11 Cal Poly 2
#1 Ella Connor/Tia Miric (CP) def. Xolani Hodel/Maddi Kriz (STAN) 22-20, 17-21, 15-11
#2 Charlie Ekstrom/Kate Reilly (STAN) def. Piper Ferch/Jayelin Lombard (CP) 21-8, 21-15
#3 Maya Harvey/Emmy Sharp (STAN) def. Addison Hermstad/Josie Ulrich (CP) 21-17, 21-11
#4 Emma Morris/Taylor Wilson (STAN) def. Eleonore Johansen/Delaney Peranich (CP) 23-21, 21-18
#5 Peyton Dueck/Vanessa Roscoe (CP) def. Maddie Dailey/Camdyn Doucet (STAN) 21-19, 19-21, 18-16
Order of finish: 2,4,3*,5,1
No. 7 GCU 3, No. 8 Stanford 2
#1 Xolani Hodel/Maddi Kriz (STAN) def. Anaya Evans/Jess Vastine (GCU) 21-17, 21-18
#2 Charlie Ekstrom/Kate Reilly (STAN) def. Allison Hansen/Allanis Navas (GCU) 21-19, 21-15
#3 Teagan DeFalco/Samaya Morin (GCU) def. Maya Harvey/Emmy Sharp (STAN) 21-11, 14-21, 15-11
#4 Abbie Hughes/Krista Rowan (GCU) def. Emma Morris/Taylor Wilson (STAN) 21-14, 19-21, 15-11
#5 Dana Roskic/Cami Sanchez (GCU) def. Maddie Dailey/Jordan McKinney (STAN) 21-17, 21-19
Order of finish: 2, 4, 5, 1, 3*