LOS ANGELES – No. 7 Stanford topped No. 16 Washington 3-2 but fell in a tightly contested battle with No. 4 USC by the same score on the first day of two competing at the Pac-12 South Beach Invitational Saturday.
Two Stanford pairs finished the day with an unblemished record as junior Xolani Hodel and senior Maddi Kriz earned two wins on court two. Freshmen Kelly Belardi and Ashley Vincent swept both matches on court four, continuing their perfect records while competing for the Cardinal (10-0 individually and as a pair).
The Cardinal kicked off the day with a 3-2 victory over the Huskies, led by wins on courts two and four. Junior Maya Harvey and sophomore Taylor Wilson sealed the victory at the No. 3 spot, coming back from a first-set defeat to top UW's Bowman/Sinclair 18-21, 21-13, 15-9.
Stanford's meeting with the Women of Troy started strong with three-set victories at the No. 2 and No. 4 pairs. All five of the Cardinal's matches with No. 4 went to USC, with two of the Trojan's eventual wins coming down to four-or-less total points. Fifth year Charlie Ekstrom and junior Kate Reilly took the undefeated duo of Megan Craft and Delaynie Maple down to the wire, falling in their third set 15-13.
The Cardinal continues action tomorrow, taking on RV Arizona State and Utah at Mapes Beach on the campus of UCLA. Matches with the Sun Devils and Utes are set for 8 a.m. and 12 p.m., respectively.
No. 7 Stanford 3, No. 16 Washington 2
1. Chloe LOREEN/Natalie ROBINSON (WASH) def. Charlie Ekstrom/Kate Reilly (STAN); 21-16, 21-19
2. Xolani Hodel/Maddi Kriz (STAN) def. Kendall MATHER/Piper MONK-HEIDRICH (WASH); 21-15, 21-16
3. Maya Harvey/Taylor Wilson (STAN) def. Paloma BOWMAN/Mary SINCLAIR (WASH); 18-21, 21-13, 15-9
4. Kelly Belardi/Ashley Vincent (STAN) def. Teagan DeFALCO/Shannon GORMALLY (WASH); 21-15, 17-21, 15-10
5. Scarlett DAHL/Hannah YEREZ (WASH) def. Line Andersson/Sophie Kubiak (STAN); 21-12, 18-21, 18-16
Order of finish: 2, 4, 1, 5, 3*
No. 4 USC 3, No. 7 Stanford 2
1. Megan KRAFT/Delaynie MAPLE (USC) def. Charlie Ekstrom/Kate Reilly (STAN); 17-21, 21-17, 15-13
2. Xolani Hodel/Maddi Kriz (STAN) def. Madison SHIELDS/Madison WHITE (USC); 21-18, 14-21, 15-10
3. Audrey NOURSE/Nicole NOURSE (USC) def. Maya Harvey/Taylor Wilson (STAN); 21-18, 18-21, 15-6
4. Kelly Belardi/Ashley Vincent (STAN) def. Olivia BAKOS/Bailey SHOWALTER (USC); 23-21, 19-21, 15-12
5. Delaney KARL/Gabby WALKER (USC) def. Line Andersson/Sophie Kubiak (STAN); 21-19, 19-21, 15-11
Order of finish: 2, 4, 5, 3, 1*
