PALO ALTO, Calif. — Heading out on the road for the first time this season, Saint Mary's Beach Volleyball looked to build on their 2-0 start from last weekend. This time around, the Gaels had to face some stronger foes in UC Davis and #18 Stanford, hosted on the Peninsula. Saint Mary's went toe-to-toe with both the Aggies and the Cardinal, but wound up falling 3-2 in both matches, dropping their overall record to 2-2 on the young season.
 
Dual 1 – UC Davis 3, Saint Mary's 2
 
The afternoon got started with Saint Mary's taking on UC Davis for the first time in program history. The twos and fours were up first, and Saint Mary's fell behind 2-0 after both Gaels pairs lost to those of the Aggies. Saint Mary's responded well in the next flights, with Aeriel Sundt and Trinity Durfee picking up a win in the fifth spot, followed by the Gaels top pairing of Alexsa "Crash" Parker and Hawley Harrer, who also were able to take care of business in two sets. That set up a matchup of each team's third pair to determine a winner, and after losing the first set, Morgan Kendrick and Jennifer "Boo" Laird were able to force a third set with a 21-13 win in the second. Unfortunately, Rose Holscher and Madelin Smith of UC Davis got the best of the SMC pair 15-8 in the decisive third set and took the match from the Gaels 3-2.
 
OVERALL RESULTS
(2) Paloma Bowman/Colleen McGuire (UCD) def. Jasmin Suarez/Sienna Young (SMC) 21-16, 21-9
(4) Jane Seslar/Alexa Rockas (UCD) def. Karmin Brown/Madison Baumann (SMC) 21-19, 21-11
(5) Aeriel Sundt/Trinity Durfee (SMC) def. Ashlee Goycoochea/Savanah Schroeder (UCD) 26-24, 21-17
(1) Alexsa "Crash" Parker/Hawley Harrer (SMC) def. Heather Reed/Megan Luly (UCD) 21-19, 21-18
(3) Rose Holscher/Madelin Smith (UCD) def. Morgan Kendrick/Jennifer "Boo" Laird (SMC) 21-15, 13-21, 15-8
(6) Makenna Joyce/Selbie Christensen (SMC) def. Bailey Herdman/Sam Lazenby (UCD) 21-19, 21-16 (exhibition)
 
Dual 2 - #18 Stanford 3, Saint Mary's 2
 
Dual two on the afternoon was the biggest test of the year so far for Saint Mary's, recently receiving votes in the latest AVCA Beach Volleyball polls. 18^th-ranked Stanford won the first wo flights that finished (fours, twos) before the Gaels were able to once again win the battle of fives, this time sliding in Makenna Joyce and Selbie Christensen, who won their exhibition against UC Davis and then again took down the Cardinal fifth pair. The match was won, however, in the fourth flight to go final, as Parker and Harrer lost for Saint Mary's in the top pairing to give Stanford a 3-1 edge. Morgan Kendrick and Jennifer "Boo" Laird wrapped up the afternoon for SMC with a win in three sets and bonus points, taking down Maddi Kris and Maya Harvey 16-14 in the final set to avenge their earlier defeat.
 
OVERALL RESULTS
(4) Maddie Dailey/Amelia Smith (STAN) def. Morgan Kendrick/Madison Baumann (SMC) 21-8, 22-20
(2) Xolani Hodel/Kate Reilly (STAN) def. Jasmin Suarez/Sienna Young (SMC) 21-11, 21-18
(5) Makenna Joyce/Selbie Christensen (SMC) def. Ellie Gamberdella/Emmy Sharp (STAN), 21-19, 21-16
(1) Charlie Ekstrom/Sunny Villapando (STAN) def. Alexsa "Crash" Parker/Hawley Harrer (SMC) 21-16, 21-18
(3) Morgan Kendrick/Jennifer "Boo" Laird (SMC) def. Maddi Kriz/Maya Harvey (STAN) 21-19, 15-21, 16-14
(6) Aeriel Sundt/Trinity Durfee (SMC) def. Abby Converse/Winslow Church (STAN) 21-15, 21-19 (exhibition)
(7) Kylee Matheson/Zeena Khazendar (STAN) def. Aeriel Sundt/Trinity Durfee (SMC) 21-13, 22-20
 
UP NEXT
Saint Mary's is back at home on Sunday morning as they take on San Jose State at 11:00 pm. As it stands, this is the final beach match scheduled for March, but that could change given the fluidity of the schedule. The Gaels will return to indoor play on Tuesday, March 9 when they host Pacific in WCC play.