GULF SHORES, Ala. – No. 3 Stanford heartbreakingly ended its 2024 campaign Saturday, falling 3-2 to No. 11 LSU in a quarterfinal dual match at the NCAA Beach Volleyball Championship in Gulf Shores, Ala.
The Cardinal started the match off on a rocky foot, only winning the first sets on courts two and four. Stanford's fours pair of senior Kate Reilly and freshman Clara Stowell were the lone duo to secure a match point in two sets, topping LSU's Skylar Martin and Amber Haynes 21-16, 21-16 for the day's first point. Stanford won set two on courts one, three, and five as well to push four of the five courts into three-set battles. Senior Xolani Hodel and freshman Brooke Rockwell secured the second point of the match with a dominant third set victory over Gabi Bailey and Ellie Shank, topping LSU's ones pair 12-21, 22-20, 15-8. LSU tied the dual up with match points on courts three and five, bringing the match down to the result on court two.
Junior Taylor Wilson and freshman Ruby Sorra battled into extra points with LSU's Parker Bracken and Reilly Allred in two of their three sets, pushing what should have been a 15-point set to a final score of 24-22. LSU secured the final match point with an 18-21, 22-20, 24-22 win over the all-American duo on court two.
Stanford ends its season with a 32-6 record, the fourth consecutive season with a new program-best wins total. The 2024 Cardinal team continued the success of the Stanford program in the last few years, highlighted by four all-American selections, the team's second-ever victory at the NCAA Championship, and two wins over No. 1-ranked teams, including the program's first-ever win over USC. Stanford's momentum for the future continues to be bright with a youth-dominated program and a strong recruiting class slated to come in for the 2025 season.
#11 LSU 3, #3 Stanford 2
1. Brooke Rockwell and Xolani Hodel (Stan) def. Gabi Bailey and Ellie Shank (LSU) 12-21, 22-20, 15-8
2. Parker Bracken and Reilly Allred (LSU) def. Taylor Wilson and Ruby Sorra (Stan) 18-21, 22-20, 24-22
3. Ella Larkin and Aubrey O'Gorman (LSU) def. Kelly Belardi and Chloe Hoffman (Stan) 21-18, 16-21, 16-14
4. Clara Stowell and Kate Reilly (Stan) def. Skylar Martin and Amber Haynes (LSU) 21-16, 21-16
5. Emily Meyer and Yali Ashush (LSU) def. Maya Harvey and Ashley Vincent (Stan) 21-14, 17-21, 15-13
Order of finish: 4, 1, 3, 5, 2*