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Beach Volleyball

No. 5 Stanford Collects Two Top-10 Victories

The Cardinal earned victories over No. 7 Florida State and No. 8 Texas Friday at the Death Volley Invitational in Baton Rouge, La.

BATON ROUGE, La. – No. 5 Stanford collected two top-10 victories Friday, topping No. 7 Florida State 3-2 and No. 8 Texas 4-1. 

Overall, the Cardinal went 2-1 on the day, suffering a 3-2 defeat to No. 2 TCU.

Stanford kicked off its time in Baton Rouge with a 4-1 victory over No. 8 Texas in the early hours of Friday morning. Junior Kelly Belardi and sophomore Chloe Hoffman grabbed the first point of the match with a 21-12, 21-17 win on court three, while sophomore Ruby Sorra and senior Taylor Wilson secured the 2-0 advantage with a 21-12, 21-18 victory on court two. After falling to the Longhorns on court one, pushing the match’s score to 2-1, freshman Charlotta Bell and junior Daria Gusarova captured the match victory with a 21-16, 14-21, 15-8 hard-fought battle on court four. Fifth-year Emmy Sharp and freshman Logan Tusher added the fourth point with a 21-19, 23-25, 15-6 win on court five. 

The Cardinal fell 3-2 to No. 2 TCU for the second time this season, most recently meeting the Horned Frogs in Hawaii at the Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Beach Classic in February. TCU snagged the first point of the match with a straight set win on court four and pushed the match to 2-0 with a 21-17, 21-9 victory on court one. The Cardinal struck back with a 21-13, 21-19 win on court two by Sorra and Wilson, but a 21-18, 21-15 decision on court three for the Horned Frogs sealed their overall match victory. Stanford’s Emma Morris and Logan Tusher added the match’s second point, holding off a comeback attempt by TCU on court five to secure a 23-21, 16-21, 17-15 third-set extra-points victory. 

Stanford’s final match of the day was delayed by lightning in the area, pushing the start time back over an hour. With all matches being played to decision after the weather delay, the Cardinal and Seminoles battled it out on all five courts and played out the entirety of the match to determine a final winner.  Stanford secured a tied 1-1 match after falling on court five 21-18, 21-15 with a dominant 21-15, 21-16 on court one by Jackson and Rockwell. Sorra and Wilson held off a late second-set comeback attempt by the Seminoles to win a 21-18, 24-22 point on court two, but the match was quickly again tied up with an FSU three-set victory on court three. With the match down to the wire, Bell and Gusarova bounced back from a 21-18 defeat in the first set to earn a third-set extra points victory on court four, 18-21, 22-20, 18-16. 

Stanford plays one more match in Baton Rouge Saturday, March 29, taking on host No. 11 LSU at 8:30 a.m. The match will be streamed on VBTV.

#5 Stanford 4, #8 Texas 1

  1. Chloe Charles/ Eva Kuivonen (Texas) def. Avery Jackson/ Brooke Rockwell (Stanford) 21-13, 21-19
  2. Ruby Sorra/ Taylor Wilson (Stanford) def. Katie Hashman/ Emma Grace Robertson (Texas) 21-12, 21-18
  3. Kelly Belardi/ Chloe Hoffman (Stanford) def. Maddison Parmelly/ Karin Zolnercikova (Texas) 21-12, 21-17
  4. Charlotta Bell/ Daria Gurarova (Stanford) def. Macey Butler/ Noa Sonneville (Texas) 21-16, 14-21, 15-8
  5. Emmy Sharp/ Logan Tusher (Stanford) def. Ava Patton/ Kylie Wickley (Texas) 21-19, 23-25, 15-6

Order of Finish: 3, 2, 1, 4*, 5

#2 TCU 3, #5 Stanford 2

  1. Daniela Alvarez/Hailey Hamlett (TCU) def. Avery Jackson/ Brooke Rockwell (Stanford) 21-17, 21-9
  2. Ruby Sorra/Taylor Wilson (Stanford) def. Stacey Reeves/Maria Gonzales (TCU) 21-13, 21-19
  3. Sofia Izuzquiza/Allanis Navas (TCU) def. Kelly Belardi/Chloe Hoffman (Stanford) 21-17, 21-15
  4. Anhelina Khmil/Ana Vergara (TCU) def. Daria Gusarova/Emmy Sharp (Stanford) 21-13, 21-15
  5. Emma Morris/Logan Tusher (Stanford) def. Anete Namike/Deniela Konstantinova (TCU) 23-21, 16-21, 17-15 

Order of Finish: 4, 1, 2, 3*, 5

#5 Stanford 3, #7 Florida State 2

  1. Avery Jackson/ Brooke Rockwell (Stanford) def. Alexis Durish/Audrey Koenig (FSU) 21-15, 21-16
  2. Ruby Sorra/ Taylor Wilson (Stanford) def. Gella Andrew/Maddie Trusty (FSU) 21-18, 24-22
  3. Carra Sassack/Bailey Higgins (FSU) def. Kelly Belardi/ Chloe Hoffman (Stanford) 18-21, 21-18, 15-11
  4. Charlotta Bell/ Daria Gurarova (Stanford) def. Makenna Wolfe/Myriah Massey (FSU) 18-21, 22-20, 18-16
  5. Kenzie Hultquist/Jordan Boulware (FSU) def. Emmy Sharp/Ashley Vincent (Stanford) 21-18, 21-15

Order of finish: 5, 1, 2, 3, 4*