STANFORD, Calif. – The No. 3 Cardinal sent out its seniors in style with two decisive victories over No. 8 California and UC Davis on a sunny Saturday afternoon at Stanford Beach Volleyball Stadium.
With the victories, Stanford moves to 28-3 and is just one win away from matching its program-best total victories in a single season, set in 2023.
The Cardinal started off the day with 4-1 victory over No. 8 Cal, its 10th top-10 victory of the 2024 season. Junior Taylor Wilson and freshman Ruby Sorra set the tone with a 21-16, 21-16 victory on court two and senior Kate Reilly and freshman Clara Stowell followed with a 21-14, 21-10 win on court four. Senior Xolani Hodel and freshman Brooke Rockwell sealed the win for the Cardinal with a 21-19, 21-12 effort on court one.
Stanford finished the day with a 5-0 win over the Aggies, its tenth-straight win since April 5. UC Davis challenged the Cardinal in the first flight, as courts 2 and 4 went to three sets. Reilly and redshirt sophomore Emma Morris came back from a first-set defeat on court four to earn the first point of the match, earning a 16-21, 21-13, 15-12 victory over the Aggies' Letvin/Olen. Freshman Chloe Hoffman and sophomore Kelly Belardi earned their 17th victory as a pair with a 21-13, 12-21, 15-10 win on court two for the second point of the match, and senior Maya Harvey and sophomore Ashley Vincent clinched the victory with a 21-18, 21-17 performance on court five.
The Cardinal starts its postseason journey Wednesday-Friday, April 24-26 at the 2024 Pac-12 Championship in Tempe, Ariz.
#3 Stanford 4, #8 California 1
1. Xolani Hodel and Brooke Rockwell (STAN) def. Sierra Caffo and Alex Young-Gomez (Cal)
21-19, 21-12
2. Ruby Sorra and Taylor Wilson (STAN) def. Emma Donley and Kendall Peters (Cal)
21-16, 21-16
3. Kelly Belardi and Chloe Hoffman (STAN) def. Gia Fisher and Marilu Pally (Cal)
21-16, 21-7
4. Kate Reilly and Clara Stowell (STAN) def. Ella Dreibholz and Lara Boos (Cal)
21-14, 21-10
5. Portia Sherman and Jenna Colligan (Cal) def. Maya Harvey and Ashley Vincent (STAN)
21-16, 21-18
Order of finish: 2, 4, 1*, 3, 5
??#3 Stanford 5, UC Davis 0
1. Xolani Hodel and Brooke Rockwell (STAN) def. Colleen McGuire and Kylie Miller (UCD)
21-15, 21-17
2. Kelly Belardi and Chloe Hoffman (STAN) def. Tabitha Mitchell and Kimi Waller (UCD)
21-13, 12-21, 15-10
3. Ellie Gamberdella and Ruby Sorra (STAN) def. Morgan Coolbaugh and Lindsay Heller (UCD)
21-19, 21-15
4. Emma Morris and Kate Reilly (STAN) def. Alicia Letvin and Mia Olen (UCD)
16-21, 21-13, 15-12
5. Maya Harvey and Ashley Vincent (STAN) def. Anna Braun and Kate O'Steen (UCD)
21-18, 21-17
Order of finish: 2, 4, 5*, 1, 3