TUCSON - Fourteenth-ranked Arizona volleyball was trying to throw it back to 2005 on Wednesday night at McKale. That's the last time Arizona beat Stanford and the last time the Wildcats downed two opponents ranked 18th or better in back-to-back matches.
Arizona (11-4, 1-2 Pac-12) was two points away. Twice.
After taking two of the first three sets, Arizona led the eighth-ranked Cardinal 23-22, and, after failing to convert that opportunity, led 13-12 in the first-to-15 fifth.
Stanford (8-3, 2-1 Pac-12) went on to win a marathon of a fifth set, 17-15, to complete the comeback and win its 18th consecutive match against the Wildcats by a score of 15-25, 25-15, 21-25, 25-23, 17-15.
“It was a tough loss," said head coach Dave Rubio. "Another close match that we are right in all the way up until the end. We just couldn't execute well enough, especially in the end of games 4 and 5. We just didn't make enough right plays at the right time for us to win that match. I'm proud of our kids and I'm proud of how we fought, but we have to move on to prepare for California on Friday. Cal's had a five day rest and we have to turn around and play on Friday, so it's going to be pretty tough."
It was the third time Arizona had given a top-10 team all it could handle. Nearly a week ago, Arizona took now-sixth-ranked Arizona State to four sets in Tempe in a match the Wildcats actually outscored the Sun Devils 92-90 over the four sets. A week earlier, the Cats took second-ranked Texas to five sets at McKale.
All four of Arizona's losses have come to teams currently ranked in the top 13 of the AVCA Top 25. And of the other nine it has not faced this season, Arizona will face three of them over its next five matches.
“We're not executing when the bigger moments arise, and as a result we're hoping to win instead of taking destiny into our own hands," said Rubio. "Elite teams don't rely on that, rather they rely on asserting their will at the time the match is the most important."
The Cats turned in a superb effort, led by Penina Snuka, who put up her eighth double-double with 46 assists and tying for the team lead with 16 digs.
Kalei Mau was brilliant once again for the Cats, delivering her fifth 20-plus kill match in her last seven outings as she notched 23 kills while playing through injury.
The Wildcats were terrific from the service line, picking up six aces, two apiece from Snuka and Laura Larson, while also getting the Cardinal out of system on plenty of occasions.
It was all Arizona early in the first set as the Cats scored 16 of the match's first 22 points. UA would go on to lead the Cardinal 21-10. Arizona defeated the Cardinal 25-15 while hitting .360 in the frame.
The second set told a different story, as the eighth-ranked Cardinal grabbed a 14-6 lead out of the gates. A 6-1 Arizona run cut the lead to three, but Stanford answered with a 6-0 run to put the second set out of reach. The Cardinal went on the win the frame 25-15.
The teams traded points in the third set, with neither team leading by more than two points until a 4-0 run put Arizona on top 12-9 to force a Stanford timeout. Arizona would score the next three to extend the run to seven, but the six-point lead would be short lived as the Cardinal fought back. A late 3-0 run cut Arizona's lead to 20-18. Arizona earned a set point at 24-21 and Amaro put it away with her third block of the match.
Little separated the teams in the fourth. Stanford led by three points when Mau went down with an injury. Arizona responded with a 3-0 run that tied the set at 18. Arizona went on to take a 23-22 edge before the Cardinal scored three straight to force a fifth set.
Arizona held the early advantage in the fifth until a 3-0 Stanford run put the Cardinal up 8-7. From there, no team led by two until Stanford scored the match's final two points to win the fifth set 17-15.
Up Next: The Wildcats will look to get back to their winning ways on Friday as UA hosts California at 8 p.m. on the Pac-12 Networks.
Follow Arizona Volleyball: For further coverage of Arizona volleyball, visit ArizonaWildcats.com and follow the team's Twitter and Instagram accounts (@ArizonaVBall).
