AUSTIN, Texas – In a closely contested match, the second-seeded Stanford Cardinal faced a setback against the third-seeded Wisconsin Badgers, losing 17-25, 25-21, 25-23, 25-22 in the NCAA regional semifinal held at Gregory Gymnasium. This marked a historic victory for Wisconsin, as it was their first win over Stanford in the series, bringing the overall record to 6-1.
Despite the disappointment, Stanford showcased a strong offensive performance, hitting .378, but Wisconsin outdid them with a remarkable .420 hitting percentage. The Cardinal finish their season with a record of 29-5, while the Badgers advance with a record of 27-4.
Senior Elia Rubin stood out in her final collegiate match, leading the Cardinal with 15 kills, 13 digs, an ace, and a solo block. Rubin, who ends her career with a team-leading 13 double-doubles this season and a total of 45 throughout her career, holds the record for the most aces in Stanford’s rally-scoring era, finishing with 151.
Freshman Logan Parks returned to the lineup after missing the first two rounds of the tournament and played a crucial role in orchestrating the offense with an impressive 51 assists, along with contributing six digs, two aces, a kill, and a block. Libero Spencer Etzler added nine digs and two assists to the team effort.
Another highlight came from sophomore Lizzy Andrew, who faced off against her sister, Alicia Andrew, a middle blocker for Wisconsin. Lizzy had a standout performance, hitting .692 with 10 kills, while Alicia made her mark with seven kills on nine errorless attempts, hitting .778.
Redshirt sophomore Julia Blyashov contributed significantly with 14 kills, seven digs, and two blocks, while opposite Jordyn Harvey added 10 kills, two aces, three digs, and three blocks. Freshman middle blocker Erika Sayer also impressed, with five kills and four blocks while hitting an outstanding .714.
This loss signifies the first time since 2009 that Stanford has exited the NCAA Tournament in the regional semifinal round. Nonetheless, the team’s appearance marks their 22nd entry into this round since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1998, underscoring the program’s consistent excellence and resilience.