STANFORD, Calif. – Hosting matches against UC Davis and Saint Mary’s from Stanford Beach Volleyball Stadium on an intermittent rainy Wednesday afternoon, No. 1 Stanford picked up a pair of victories to improve to 23-2 on the season – moving to 10-0 this year at home and extending its win streak to 11 matches overall in the process.
The Cardinal opened its day with a 5-0 sweep of UC Davis, earning the first point at No. 2 as Brooke Rockwell and Ruby Sorra teamed to top Davis’ Kinley Lindhardt and Shelby Santos, 21-8, 21-12. Stanford quickly added a second point at No. 4 when Indigo Clarke and Clara Stowell dispatched Skye Smolinski and Kate O’Steen, 21-9, 21-12. Playing at No. 1 in the lineup, Kelly Belardi and Mikki Carlin defeated Kimi Waller and Ella Erteltova, 21-12, 21-12 to clinch the match and secure Stanford’s third point. Charlotta Bell and Logan Tusher posted a 21-16, 21-11 victory over Emma Johnson and Alexandra Leal at No. 3 before Line Andersson and Daria Gusarova avenged a 21-19 first-set setback to defeat Ava Berard and Kirra Martin 21-6 and 15-9 in the final two stanzas of a three-setter at No. 5 that secured the sweep.
Diving almost immediately into its second competition of the day, the Cardinal split the first two points of its match against Saint Mary’s before earning victories on the final three courts to record the convincing 4-1 decision. Mixing up the pairs a bit, Gusarova and Stowell teamed at No. 4, posting a 21-18, 21-16 victory to get the Cardinal on the board. Ofure Odigie and Ashley Vincent won the first set 21-18 at No. 2, but the Gael pairing of Clarissa Klein and Hannah Couch rebounded to win the final two sets 21-10, 15-12 to steal a point and even the match score. Elena Fisher and Chloe Hoffman made quick work of Hannah Glick and Barett Nolan at No. 5, earning a 21-8, 21-14 victory to run the tally to 2-1 in favor of the Cardinal. Bell and Tusher once again teamed at No. 3 for Stanford, defeating Alisia Silverthorn and Zoe Joshua 21-19, 21-15 to clinch the match with Stanford’s third point. Belardi and Avery Jackson were the final pair to finish, combining to best SMC’s top pair in Angelina Bour and Genevieve Bane, 21-15, 21-12, to conclude the match.
The Cardinal will now prepare to compete in the Best in the West Tournament this weekend in Laguna Beach, Calif. Stanford will open play with a pair of Friday matches, meeting No. 10 Long Beach State at 1 p.m. before clashing with No. 2 UCLA at 4 p.m. The Cardinal swept Long Beach State on March 14 earlier this season, and has split a pair of matches against the Bruins already this year.
#1 Stanford 5, UC Davis 0
- Kelly Belardi and Mikki Carlin (STAN) def. Kimi Waller and Ella Erteltova (UCD) 21-12, 21-12
- Brooke Rockwell and Ruby Sorra (STAN) def. Kinley Lindhart and Shelby Santos (UCD) 21-8, 21-12
- Charlotta Bell and Logan Tusher (STAN) def. Emma Johnson and Alexandra Leal (UCD) 21-16, 21-11
- Indigo Clarke and Clara Stowell (STAN) def. Skye Smolinksi and Kate O’Steen (UCD) 21-9, 21-12
- Line Andersson and Daria Gusarova (STAN) def. Ava Berard and Kirra Martin (UCD) 19-21, 21-6, 15-9
Order of finish: 2, 4, 1*, 3, 5
#1 Stanford 4, Saint Mary’s 1
- Kelly Belardi and Avery Jackson (STAN) def. Angelina Bour and Genevieve Bane (SMC) 21-15, 21-12
- Clarissa Klein and Hannah Couch (SMC) def. Ofure Odigie and Ashley Vincent (STAN) 18-21, 21-10, 15-12
- Charlotta Bell and Logan Tusher (STAN) def. Alisia Silverthorn and Zoe Joshua (SMC) 21-19, 21-15
- Daria Gusarova and Clara Stowell (STAN) def. Bella Reyes and Isla Johnson (SMC) 21-18, 21-16
- Elena Fisher and Chloe Hoffman (STAN) def. Hannah Glick and Barett Nolan (SMC) 21-8, 21-14
Order of finish: 4, 2, 5, 3*, 1