Knights Win 3 Straight to Start Season

San Diego City is off to its best start to a season since 2019 after winning its first three matches of the season over Rio Hondo, Los Angeles Harbor, and Santa Ana.

The Knights opened the 2026 season with a 4-1 win over Rio Hondo on Feb. 11 with sophomore Cassie Stevens pairing up with freshman Madison Gonzalez to win their No. 1 match over Isabella de la Pena and Megan Liggins, 12-12, 21-7. 

In No. 2 pairs, Danna Gallardo and Lili Smith got a 21-16, 21-13 victory over Ailana Paxon and Osyris Roldan. Sophomores Lana Dy and Lauren Eastman won their match over Adelyn Wong and Nymeria Puga in three sets (21-14, 18-21, 15-8). 

Samarah Stanley and Bear Rodriguez won their No. 5 match 21-17, 21-16 over Emily Maldonado and Lyllianna Aguayo. 

The Knights traveled to Great Park in Irvine and started the day with a 5-0 sweep of L.A. Harbor with the same pairings except for the No. 5 duo.

Stevens and Gonzalez won their No. 1 match 21-10, 21-17, while Gallardo and Smith took the No. 2 match in three sets (23-21, 21-19, 15-4). 

The No. 3 pair of Dy and Eastman also won in three sets (21-13, 21-11, 15-7). Isis Medel and Diana Ramirez evened their record to 1-1 by earning a two-set victory at the 4s. 

Madison Sigmund played her first match of the season with Samarah Stanley and they dominated the No. 5 match 21-6, 21-5.

Against Santa Ana, Stevens and Gonzalez dropped their first match 16-21, 13-21 against Dayana Avila and Rebecca Sena de Oliveira. 

The rest of City's pairs all won their matches in two sets, except for Dy and Eastman who pulled out a third consecutive three-set win (21-12, 19-21, 15-13)