LOS ANGELES– The No. 8 Stanford Beach Volleyball team finished its four-match weekend Sunday, recording a split decision on the day with a win over No. 14 Long Beach State and a loss to No. 1 USC.
Stanford started the day in a close battle with No. 14 Long Beach State, beating the Sharks 3-2. After a loss on court two to start the match, wins by the Cardinal on courts four and five gave Stanford the 2-1 match lead. The Cardinal's ones pair of sophomore Xolani Hodel and senior Maddi Kriz came back from a first-set loss with a second-set victory, but could not secure the match point in set three as the Sharks tied the match up at two-all. For the second consecutive match, the match point came down to sophomores pair Emmy Sharp and Maya Harvey. The pair immediately fell to 5-1 at the beginning of the third set but fought back to just a two-point deficit. With the score at 10-8 Long Beach State advantage, the sophomore duo pushed the third set to a 13-all tie. After three tie scores between the two programs, Sharp and Harvey pulled out the match victory with an 18-16 win.
The Cardinal's second match of the day was not as successful, however, as Stanford fell to No. 1 USC 5-0. Three of the five courts went to five sets, but the Women of Troy earned the point on each occasion.
Stanford now takes a two-week break from competition, next competing March 21 at UC Davis.
No. 8 Stanford 3, No. 14 Long Beach State 2
#1 Skyler Germann/Alice Pratesi (LBSU) def. Xolani Hodel/Maddi Kriz (STAN) 21-15, 22-24, 15-12
#2 Katie Kennedy/Nicci Reinking (LBSU) def. Charlie Ekstrom/Kate Reilly (STAN) 21-14, 18-21, 15-13
#3 Maya Harvey/Emmy Sharp (STAN) def. Holland Jackson/Sydney Stevens (LBSU) 21-23, 21-19, 18-16
#4 Emma Morris/Taylor Wilson (STAN) def. Emily Mattoon/Jillian Rodriguez (LBSU) 21-19, 18-21, 19-17
#5 Maddie Dailey/Jordan McKinney (STAN) def. Christine DeRoos/Sophie Major (LBSU) 21-12, 21-17
Order of Finish: 2, 4, 5, 1, 3*
No.1 USC 5, No. 8 Stanford 0
#1 Tina Graudina/Hailey Harward (USC) def. Xolani Hodel/Maddi Kriz (STAN) 21-15, 21-16
#2 Megan Kraft/Sammy Slater (USC) def. Charlie Ekstrom/Kate Reilly (STAN) 21-18, 21-16
#3 Delaynie Maple/Julia Scoles (USC) def. Maya Harvey/Emmy Sharp (STAN) 21-9, 21-9
#4 Audrey Nourse/Nicole Nourse (USC) def. Emma Morris/Taylor Wilson (STAN) 23-25, 21-14, 15-10
#5 Mollie Ebertin/Sunny Villapando (USC) def. Maddie Dailey/Jordan McKinney (STAN) 21-17, 21-16
Order of Finish: 2, 4, 1*, 5, 3