Beach Volleyball Defeats Washington Before Falling At Stanford

Saturday, March 14

Stanford, Calif.

2 p.m.

Long Beach State University

Washington

Beach Volleyball Defeats Washington Before Falling At Stanford

3/14/2026 6:08:00 PM | Women's Beach Volleyball

Long Beach State went 3-1 with two wins over ranked opponents at the Stanford Invitational.

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

STANFORD, Calif. – No. 11 Long Beach State earned a second win this season over No. 18 Washington, winning 4-1 at the Stanford Invitational before losing to the hosts, No. 2 Stanford, in the final dual of the tournament on Saturday.

Long Beach State (10-4) started the day winning their second matchup of the season against No. 18 Washington (8-8) after a win to start the season in Malibu. The first wave once again got the match off to a strong start for the Beach, as Kiara Edwards and Savannah Standage rolled to a 21-14, 21-10 win over Ellis Hay and Mariana Tomasova, while Victoria Henkel and Mahala Esser rallied from a surprising second-set loss to win 21-18, 8-21, 15-11.

Seniors Malia Gementera and Taylor Hagenah sealed the win in a top-flight victory over Emma Hohenauer and Katarina Pantovic 21-13, 21-15, while Demi Wagdy and Madi Maxwell picked up their first win together over a ranked opponent with a 21-17, 21-18 win in the third flight. Washington earned their lone point in the fifth flight as Avery Town and Alina Urzua won 21-18, 21-15 against Kealoha Phillips and Brooke Birch.

Against the hosts, Stanford (16-2), Long Beach State put up a strong battle in the fourth flight, as Esser and Henkel won the first set against Indigo Clarke and Clara Stowell, but the Stanford pair fought back to win 17-21, 22-20, 15-8 and push to a 2-0 lead after a win in the second flight. Kelly Belardi and Avery Jackson then handed Gementera and Hagenah their third loss of the year in the top flight to capture the win. The Cardinal then went on to finish the sweep with wins in flights five and three.

Coming up, Long Beach State will once again host the Big West Challenge, as all seven Big West teams will come to Rosie's Dog Beach and face every other team in the league over three days of action, beginning on March 20.

#11 Long Beach State 4, #18 Washington 1
1) Malia Gementera and Taylor Hagenah (LBSU) def. Emma Hohenauer and Katarina Pantovic (UW), 21-13, 21-15
2) Kiara Edwards and Savannah Standage (LBSU) def. Ellis Hay and Mariana Tomasova (UW), 21-14, 21-10
3) Demi Wagdy and Madi Maxwell (LBSU) def. Ella Tyus and Sarah Wilcock (UW), 21-17, 21-18
4) Victoria Henkel and Mahala Esser (LBSU) def. Mayamay Brown and Zoria Heard (UW), 21-18, 8-21, 15-11
5) Avery Towne and Alina Urzua (UW) def. Kealoha Phillips and Brooke Birch (LBSU), 21-18, 21-15
Order of finish: 2, 4, 1, 5, 3

#2 Stanford 5, #11 Long Beach State 0
1) Kelly Balardi and Avery Jackson (STAN) def. Malia Gementera and Taylor Hagenah (LBSU) 21-18, 21-15
2) Brooke Rockwell and Ruby Sorra (STAN) def. Kiara Edwards and Savannah Standage (LBSU), 21-17, 21-10
3) Charlotta Bell and Logan Tusher (STAN) def. Demi Wagdy and Madi Maxwell (LBSU), 21-11, 21-11
4) Indigo Clarke and Clara Stowell (STAN) def. Victoria Henkel and Mahala Esser (LBSU), 17-21, 22-20, 15-8
5) Elena Fisher and Chloe Hoffman (STAN) def. Kealoha Phillips and Brooke Birch (LBSU), 21-14, 21-15