No. 6 Cardinals Upset No. 4 Stanford 3-1

Sunday, October 5

Stanford, CA

5:00 p.m.

University of Louisville

Stanford

Photo by: Mallory Peak | Louisville Athletics

October 05, 2025 | Women's Volleyball

By: Erin Hughes

PALO ALTO, Calif. - Four different Cardinals posted double-digit kills as the No. 6-ranked University of Louisville volleyball team took down No. 4-ranked Stanford inside Maples Pavilion on Sunday afternoon. With the 3-1 win (21-25, 25-18,25-20, 26-24), UofL ended Stanford's 20-match home winning streak and defeated its second ranked opponent of the season.

Louisville (12-2, 4-0 ACC) hit .304 on the day with 62 kills, 60 digs, 52 assists, 11 blocks and four service aces. Outside hitter Payton Petersen led on both sides of the ball as she recorded her fifth double-double of the year, logging 15 kills and 14 digs. Outside hitter Chloe Chicoine tabbed her fourth double-double on 13 kills and 11 digs. Middle blocker Cara Cresse added 13 kills of her own to go with eight blocks, and opposite hitter Kalyssa Blackshear knocked down 11 kills, adding four blocks and three digs. Petersen and Chicoine along with setter Nayelis Cabello and libero Kamden Schrand all served aces for the Cards. Schrand posted 13 digs, while middle blocker Hannah Sherman tabbed five kills and three blocks.

Stanford (12-3, 3-1 ACC) logged a .258 clip with 61 kills, 58 digs, 58 assists, eight blocks and three aces. Outside hitter Elia Rubin tallied 19 kills, 14 digs and three blocks, while fellow pin hitter Jordyn Harvey added 14 kills, seven digs, three blocks and one ace. Middle blocker Lizzy Andrew was the third player to post double digit kills, hitting .688 off of 12 kills on 16 attacks.

UofL will return to L&N Federal Credit Union Arena next weekend for matches against Virginia Tech and Virginia on Friday, Oct. 10, and Sunday, Oct. 12, respectively.

Set 1: Louisville 21, Stanford 25
Stanford began the set quickly, going up 6-2 before Louisville went on a 8-1 run to put the Cards ahead 10-7 and force a Cardinal timeout. Out of the timeout, Stanford answered with its own 7-1 run, pulling out to a 15-12 lead that saw UofL burn its first timeout. After trading points, each team took its final timeouts of the set as the Cardinal now led 21-19 and on a 3-0 run. Stanford got to set point on a kill, but an attack error held off the set win for one more point. A kill sealed the set 25-21 for Stanford.

Set 2: Louisville 25, Stanford 18
Louisville started the second set with a 9-5 advantage and on a 5-0 scoring run off of kills from Cabello and Chicoine and a block between Cabello and Sherman. The Cards extended their lead to 15-9, with Cabello, Chicoine and Blackshear all adding kills and Cabello serving an ace. UofL got out to its biggest lead at 18-10, but Stanford eventually answered, getting back within five at 23-18. Blackshear got Louisville to set point at 24-18, and Petersen finished the set with a kill. The Cards hit a .400 clip in the second set with 17 kills and three blocks.

Set 3: Louisville 25, Stanford 20
A quick 6-1 scoring run by UofL started the third set and had the Cardinal burning its first timeout early. On the run, Petersen recorded three kills, Blackshear added one and Schrand served Louisville's second ace of the match. Stanford worked back within one, down 7-6, but the Cards eventually pulled ahead 17-9 and on a 5-0 run. The Cardinal answered with a 4-0 run that forced UofL to take its first timeout of the set. Stanford continued to battle back as the Cardinal put the score at 20-19 with Louisville leading. Stanford tied the set at 20, but the Cards went on a 5-0 scoring run to win the set 25-20. Petersen finished the set with an ace, as herself, Chicoine and Cresse each tabbed kills and Cresse stuffed a solo block on the run.

Set 4: Louisville 26, Stanford 24
After starting the set down 4-2, UofL went on another 6-0 scoring run that was highlighted by kills from Cresse and Chicoine and two block connections between Cresse and Cabello. The teams continued to trade points, as they set seven ties through 20 points, until Louisville pulled ahead 17-15 and Stanford took its second timeout. The Cardinal knotted the set at 23-all and on a 3-0 run as the Cards used their first timeout of the set. Cresse hammered a kill to give UofL set point at 24-23, but Stanford tied the score again at 24. Chicoine knocked down a kill for Louisville's second match point, and Cabello used her fifth kill to win the match 26-24.