STANFORD, Calif. – No. 10 Stanford dropped its first two dual matches of the 2023 Pac-12 North Beach Invitational Friday, falling to RV Arizona 3-2 and No. 4 UCLA by a score of 4-1.
The Cardinal started its day at the GSB courts, meeting the Wildcats for the first time this season. Freshman duo Line Andersson and Sophie Kubiak earned the first point of the match with a clean sweep of Arizona's five pair, 21-13, 21-19. Fellow freshman pair Kelly Belardi and Ashley Vincent fell in three sets on court four, tying the dual up. Stanford's threes pair of juniors Kate Reilly and Emmy Sharp put the Cardinal back on top with a 21-16, 22-20 victory, but Arizona fought to two three-set victories on courts one and two to take the overall win.
No. 4 UCLA earned its win over the Cardinal with three-set victories on courts two and four and a two-set victory on court five. Down 3-0, Stanford's ones pair of junior Xolani Hodel and senior Maddi Kriz fought back from a first-set defeat to win their match 16-21, 21-19, 16-14 and earn the Cardinal's lone point of the dual.
Stanford returns to action on the sand tomorrow, taking on Oregon and No. 9 California at the Beach Volleyball Stadium at 2 and 4 p.m. Both matches will be televised on Pac-12 Networks.
RV Arizona 3, #10 Stanford 2
1. Sarah Blacker/Alex Parkhurst (ARIZ) def. Xolani Hodel/Maddi Kriz (STAN) 15-21, 21-13, 15-13
2. Hope Shannon/Abby Russell (ARIZ) def. Charlie Ekstrom/Maya Harvey (STAN) 23-21, 18-21, 15-10
3. Kate Reilly/Emmy Sharp (STAN) def. Alana Rennie/Grace Cook (ARIZ) 21-16, 22-20
4. Kali Uhl/Dilara Gedikoglu (ARIZ) def. Kelly Belardi/Ashley Vincent (STAN) 21-18, 18-21, 15-12
5. Line Andersson/Sophie Kubiak (STAN) def. Miranda Erro/Caroline White (ARIZ) 21-13, 21-19
Order of Finish: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1*
#4 UCLA 4, #10 Stanford 1
1. Xolani Hodel/Maddi Kriz (STAN) def. Maggie Boyd/ Lexy Denaburg (UCLA) 16-21, 21-19, 16-14
2. Peri Brennan/Abby Van Winkle (UCLA) def. Charlie Ekstrom/Maya Harvey (STAN) 21-17, 22-20
3. Rileigh Powers/Haley Hallgren (UCLA) def. Kate Reilly/Emmy Sharp (STAN) 23-21, 21-23, 17-15
4. Jessie Smith/Tessa Van Winkle (UCLA) def. Kelly BelardiAshley Vincent (STAN) 19-21 21-16 15-11
5. Jaden Whitmarsh/Marlie Monserez (UCLA) def. Line Andersson/Sophie Kubiak (STAN) 21-15, 21-11
Order of Finish: 2, 4, 5*, 1, 3
