Beach Volleyball Picks Up Two Wins To Start Stanford Invitational

Photo by: JohnoMoto Photo

Beach Volleyball Picks Up Two Wins To Start Stanford Invitational

3/13/2026 3:43:00 PM | Women's Beach Volleyball

Long Beach State only lost two sets combined over two duals.

By: Roger Kirk, Associate Athletics Director, Communications & Broadcast

STANFORD, Calif. – Long Beach State got off to a strong start in Stanford, opening up the Stanford Invitational with a pair of wins over Houston Christian and No. 16 North Florida.

In an adjusted schedule, Long Beach State (9-3) opened the Stanford Invitational, cruising to a 5-0 win over Houston Christian (1-11). Playing in two waves, Victoria Henkel and Mahala Esser opened the dual with a 21-13, 21-8 win, and Kiara Edwards and Savannah Standage, moving up to flight two, also won in straight sets.

Demi Wagdy, playing with Madi Maxwell, won 21-13, 21-14 over Alexa Landmark and Lauren Vickery to clinch the win, and then straight sets wins from Kealoha Phillips and Brooke Birch at the fives and Malia Gementera and Taylor Hagenah closed out the victory.

Long Beach State kept their winning edge in the second match, a closer contest against a ranked opponent in No. 16 North Florida (9-4). The Beach got off to a strong start as Edwards and Standage grabbed another win in the second flight, 21-19, 21-13 over Cameron Humphries and Mackenzie Murphy. Then establishing a comfortable edge, Henkel and Esser were also straight sets winners.

Sealing the win, Phillips and Birch battled to a 21-19, 24-22 win in an exciting match in the fifth flight, while Gementera and Hagenah showed their class in a 21-15, 21-17 win in the top flight over Presley Murray and Sophie Notaro. The only blemish on the day came in the third flight, where after a first set win Wagdy and Maxwell fell 15-21, 21-15, 15-13 to Andrea Da Silva and Madison Espy.

Long Beach State will face No. 19 Washington and No. 2 Stanford on Saturday in the adjusted schedule of the Stanford Invitational. Live stats will be available at beachlivestats.statbroadcast.com.

#11 Long Beach State 5, Houston Christian 0
1) Malia Gementera and Taylor Hagenah (LBSU) def. Olivia Zeigler and Hannah Foor (HCU), 21-10 21-12
2) Kiara Edwards and Savannah Standage (LBSU) def. Paige Palmer and Grace Melnick (HCU), 21-16 21-10
3) Demi Wagdy and Madi Maxwell (LBSU) def. Alexa Landmark and Lauren Vickery (HCU), 21-13 21-14
4) Victoria Henkel and Mahala Esser (LBSU) def. Emma Chappell and Allie Patton (HCU), 21-13 21-8
5) Kealoha Phillips and Brooke Birch (LBSU) def. Clau Verdejo and Dariya Tlevlessova (HCU), 21-16, 21-8
Order of finish:4, 2, 3, 5, 1

#11 Long Beach State 4, #16 North Florida 1
1) Malia Gementera and Taylor Hagenah (LBSU) def. Presley Murray and Sophie Notaro (UNF), 21-15, 21-17
2) Kiara Edwards and Savannah Standage (LBSU) def. Cameron Humphries and Mackenzie Murphy (UNF), 21-19, 21-13
3) Andrea Da Silva and Madison Espy (UNF) def. Demi Wagdy and Madi Maxwell (LBSU), 15-21, 21-16, 15-13
4) Victoria Henkel and Mahala Esser (LBSU) def. Natalie Villalon and Samantha Crosby (UNF), 21-15, 21-16
5) Kealoha Phillips and Brooke Birch (LBSU) def. Eden Anderson and Ally Bunch (UNF), 21-19, 24-22
Order of finish: 2, 4, 5, 1, 3