STANFORD, Calif. – Despite a season-high 19 kills by Theo Snoey, No. 5 Stanford dropped a 26-28, 25-22, 19-25, 19-25 decision to No. 7 UC Irvine, Friday, at Burnham Pavilion.
UC Irvine (7-4) hit .368 as a team, while holding Stanford (7-4) to a .276 clip. The Anteaters held a 7.0 to 6.0 edge in blocks and an 8-3 advantage in aces.
Stanford was without starters Will Rottman and Moses Wagner on Friday. Snoey started at opposite posting his 19 kills on .441 hitting to go with six digs and a block.
Setter Nathan Lietzke turned in his fourth double-double of the year with 44 assists and 10 digs. He also tallied three kills, an ace and a solo block. Libero Luke Turner finished with nine digs and five assists.
Lietzke ????#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/STN4rZS19y
— Stanford Men's Volleyball (@StanfordMVB) February 17, 2024
Stanford's middles were effective offensively. Ethan Hill hit .588 with 11 kills and two blocks, while Nathaniel Gates notched nine kills on 16 swings with no errors (.562), three blocks and two assists.
GATES ??#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/ky8EqDxFFW
— Stanford Men's Volleyball (@StanfordMVB) February 17, 2024
Sophomore Ryan DuRoss earned his first collegiate start, registering career-highs in kills (9), digs (8), blocks (2) and assists (1) on the pin. Two of Stanford's three aces were recorded by serving subs - Adam Chang and Chris Kelly.
DuRoss puts it away ??#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/4jgh1Qi4gp
— Stanford Men's Volleyball (@StanfordMVB) February 17, 2024
UC Irvine was led by outside hitter Hillir Henno's 23 kills on .422 hitting, seven digs, five blocks and three aces. Middle blocker Connor Campbell hit .818 with nine kills on 11 errorless swings, an ace and three blocks.
Stanford and UC Irvine face off again on Saturday in Maples Pavilion. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Pac-12 Bay Area.