HONOLULU – No. 7/9 Stanford beach volleyball finished round-robin play at the Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Beach Classic Friday, splitting the day with a win over Saint Mary's and a loss to No. 1/1 UCLA.
The day started out with a 3-2 loss to No. 1/1 UCLA. Freshman Sophie Kubiak and junior Emmy Sharp fell on court five, 21-15, 21-9, but freshman duo Ashley Vincent and Kelly Belardi quickly tied the dual up with a 21-16, 21-12 victory on court four. UCLA sealed the match's outcome with wins on court one and three, but the Cardinal went out fighting and earned its second point of the dual with a three-set comeback victory from senior Maddi Kriz and junior Maya Harvey on court two.
The Cardinal rebounded with a 5-0 sweep of Saint Mary's, closing out round-robin play with a 3-1 record. Belardi and Vincent stayed undefeated in collegiate play, dominating on court four with a 21-2, 21-13 victory. Kubiak and Sharp followed suit with a 21-10, 21-10 win on court five, and fifth-year Charlie Ekstrom and junior Kate Reilly brought home the match with a 21-12, 21-19 victory on court three. Kriz and Harvey once again fought back from a first-set defeat, winning their second and third sets for the Cardinal's fourth match point.
Stanford concludes play tomorrow in Hawai'i, first playing in the semifinals against No. 9/10 Hawai'i at 12:15 p.m. PT. The winner of that matchup will compete at 4 p.m. PT in the championship match, while the loser will compete at 2:45 p.m. PT in the third-place match.
#1/1 UCLA 3, #7/9 Stanford 2
1. Maggie Boyd/Lexy Denaburg (UCLA) def. Charlie Ekstrom/Kate Reilly (STAN) 21-19, 21-16
2. Maya Harvey/Maddi Kriz (STAN) def. Jessie Smith/Abby Van Winkle (UCLA) 13-21, 21-16, 15-11
3. Sophie Moore/Tessa Van Winkle (UCLA) def. Taylor Wilson/Line Andersson (STAN) 21-14, 22-20
4. Kelly Belardi/Ashley Vincent (STAN) def. Kelli Greene-Agnew/Natalie Myszkowski (UCLA) 21-16, 21-12
5. Rileigh Powers/Haley Hallgren (UCLA) def. Sophie Kubiak/Emmy Sharp (STAN) 21-15, 21-9
Order of finish: 5, 4, 3, 1*, 2
#7/9 Stanford 4, Saint Mary's 1
1. Charlie Ekstrom/Kate Reilly (STAN) def. Daniella Kensinger/Hawley Harrer (SMC) 21-12, 21-19
2. Maddi Kriz/Maya Harvey (STAN) def. Paola Peralta/Genevieve Bane (SMC) 13-21, 21-15, 15-10
3. Karmin Brown/Hannah Couch (SMC) def. Taylor Wilson/Line Andersson (STAN) 22-20, 15-21, 15-12
4. Ashley Vincent/Kelly Belardi (STAN) def. Sadie Shipman/Allie Cataldo (SMC) 21-2, 21-13
5. Sophie Kubiak/Emmy Sharp (STAN) def. Cameron Martinez/Angie Bour (SMC) 21-10, 21-10
Order of finish: 4, 5, 1*, 2, 3