Two Top-20 Victories
LONG BEACH, Calif. – No. 10 Stanford started off its spring-break action at Rosie's Dog Beach in Long Beach, Calif. with two top-20 victories, topping both No. 12 Long Beach and No. 16 FIU by scores of 4-1 Thursday afternoon.
The Cardinal started off its day in Long Beach topping its host 4-1. Senior Maddi Kriz and junior Xolani Hodel earned Stanford's lone straight-set win of the match, winning on court one 21-16, 21-18. After the Sharks tied things up with a win on court three, the Cardinal's twos and fives fought through LBSU's comeback attempts with third-set wins. Freshman duo Kelly Belardi and Ashley Vincent took the Sharks into extra points in two of its three sets on court three, eventually winning 21-23, 21-14, 18-16.
It was then onto a matchup with No. 16 Florida International, where the Cardinal once again dominated its top-20 foe 4-1. Stanford earned its 15th win of the season with straight-set victories on courts two, three, and four, followed by its fourth point with a hard-fought three-set battle on court five.
Stanford heads back to Rosie's Dog Beach tomorrow for a rematch with the Sharks and a meeting with the Lions of Vanguard University. Action on the sand against Long Beach State and Vanguard is set for 11 a.m. and 12:15 p.m., respectively.
#10 Stanford 4, #12 Long Beach State 1
1. Maddi Kriz/Xolani Hodel (STAN) def. Sydney Stevens/Julia Westby (LBSU) 21-16, 21-18
2. Charlie Ekstrom/Maya Harvey (STAN) def. Malia Gementera/Taylor Hagenah (LBSU) 21-17, 19-21, 15-12
3. Natalie Glenn/Megan Widener (LBSU) def. Kate Reilly/Emmy Sharp (STAN) 21-13, 17-21, 15-9
4. Kelly Belardi/Ashley Vincent (STAN) def. Christine Deroos/Maggie Walters (LBSU) 21-23, 21-14, 18-16
5. Line Andersson/Taylor Wilson (STAN) def. Kate Stoughton/Emily Mattoon (LBSU) 21-19, 19-21, 15-10
Order of finish: 1, 3, 2, 5, 4
#10 Stanford 4, #16 FIU 1
1. Milica Vukobrat/Lucie Pokorna (FIU) def. Xolani Hodel/Maddi Kriz (STAN) 17-21, 21-19, 18-16
2. Charlie Ekstrom/Maya Harvey (STAN) def. Giada Bianchi/Rachele Mancinelli (FIU) 21-10, 21-18
3. Emmy Sharp/Kate Reilly (STAN) def. Roberta Ribeiro/Lisa Luini (FIU) 21-16, 21-14
4. Ashley Vincent/Kelly Belardi (STAN) def. Alice Pratesi/Emily Meyer (FIU) 25-23, 22-20
5. Line Andersson/Taylor Wilson (STAN) def. Zuzanna Bielak/Anna Davis (FIU) 20-22, 21-17, 15-12
Order of finish: 2, 3, 4, 5, 1