HONOLULU — No. 2 Stanford opened the 2026 season with a split afternoon in the Aloha State Thursday, topping No. 9 California, 3-2, while falling to No. 4 USC by the same score.
The Cardinal (1-1) won its season debut for the first time since the 2024 season and moved to 7-7 all-time in season-opening matchups.
Stanford’s win over California was led by victories on courts two, four, and five. After the Cardinal fell behind, 0-1, with the Golden Bears’ two-set win on court one, sophomore Charlotta Bell and senior Daria Gusarova evened the match with a 21-11, 21-18 triumph on court four. Fellow sophomore Avery Jackson and junior Brooke Rockwell added Stanford’s second match point with a 21-15, 21-15 win on court five, and redshirt freshman Elena Fisher and junior Chloe Hoffman sealed the victory with a 21-12, 21-18 success on court five.
The Cardinal suffered defeats on four courts in set one of its matchup as No. 4 USC secured its first two match points with straight-set defeats on courts one and five. Stanford punched back with a 21-14, 21-18 victory on court three by sophomore Indigo Clarke and junior Clara Stowell. Rockwell and Jackson pushed their second set to extra points but eventually fell, 18-21, 26-28, to USC’s Henson/Wood on court two, giving the win to the Women of Troy. Sophomores Charlotta Bell and Logan Tusher battled back from a first-set loss to earn Stanford’s second match point, topping Stephens/Truslow, 14-21, 21-19, 15-11.
Stanford returns to action tomorrow, taking on No. 16 Hawai’i and No. 1 UCLA on Queen’s Beach in Honolulu at 2:15 p.m. and 4:45 p.m., respectively.
No. 2 Stanford 3, No. 9 Cal 2
1. Emma Donley and Portia Sherman (California) def. Kelly Belardi and Ruby Sorra (Stanford) 21-19, 21-15
2. Avery Jackson and Brooke Rockwell (Stanford) def. Amelia Vugrincic and Jenna Colligan (California) 21-15, 21-15
3. Gia Fisher and Ava Haughy (California) def. Indigo Clarke and Clara Stowell (Stanford) 18-21, 21-18, 15-13
4. Charlotta Bell and Daria Gusarova (Stanford) def. Grace Hong and Mila Yarich (California) 21-11, 21-18
5. Elena Fisher and Chloe Hoffman (Stanford) def. Elle Evers and Savanna Lau (California) 21-12, 21-18
Order of finish: 1, 4, 2, 5*, 3
No. 4 USC 3, No. 2 Stanford 2
- Ashley Pater and Kennedy Cloackley (USC) def. Kelly Belardi and Ruby Sorra (Stanford) 21-19, 21-17
2. Zoey Henson and Sarah Wood (USC) def. Avery Jackson and Brooke Rockwell (Stanford) 21-19, 28-26
3. Indigo Clarke and Clara Stowell (Stanford) def. Alana Embry and Madison Goellner (USC) 21-14, 21-18
4. Charlotta Bell and Logan Tusher (Stanford) def. Quincy Stephens and Kaileigh Truslow (USC) 14-21, 21-19, 15-11
5. Kyra Zaengle and Calinda Kok (USC) def. Elena Fisher and Chloe Hoffman (Stanford) 21-16, 22-20
Order of finish: 1, 5, 3, 2*, 4