Four Stanford players achieved double-digit kills as the No. 5 Cardinal women’s volleyball team defeated Arizona in four sets (25-16, 25-27, 25-17, 25-20) during the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Maples Pavilion on Saturday.
With this victory, Stanford improves its season record to 29-4 and advances to its 22nd NCAA regional semifinal since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1998. This marks the seventh Sweet 16 appearance for Stanford under head coach Kevin Hambly.
Outside hitter Elia Rubin recorded her twelfth double-double of the season with 14 kills and 10 digs in her final match at Maples Pavilion. She also contributed two aces, a block, and three assists. Julia Blyashov led all Stanford players with 15 kills, eight digs, two blocks, and two aces. Freshman Erika Sayer added 11 kills while hitting .300 and tallied eight blocks, including three solo blocks.
This was the first postseason meeting between Stanford and Arizona since 2002. The Cardinal now holds a record of 77 wins and ten losses against Arizona all-time and has improved to a home record of 22-2 in NCAA Tournament play under Hambly.
Sophomore setter Taylor Yu posted a career-high with 53 assists as Stanford finished with a .264 team hitting percentage. Yu also registered eleven digs, two kills, two blocks, an ace, marking her fourth double-double this season.
Freshman libero Spencer Etzler led the defense with a match-high twenty-four digs—one short of her career best—and contributed three aces and three assists. In two NCAA Tournament matches so far this year, Etzler is averaging over four digs per set.
Middle blocker Lizzy Andrew had seven kills on eleven errorless swings for a .636 hitting percentage along with two blocks. Opposite Jordyn Harvey finished with fourteen kills, five digs, and two blocks.
Stanford will next face Wisconsin on Friday at approximately 11:30 a.m. Pacific Time following Texas versus Indiana at nine a.m., with both matches scheduled to be televised on ESPN.
