No. 2 Stanford Hosts No. 7 UCLA And No. 16 USC In Key Pac-10 Matches
Cardinal needs victory over UCLA to catch Bruins in Pac-10 race.
  Stanford's Logan Tom leads the Cardinal into this weekend's key matches |
STANFORD HOSTS #7 UCLA AND #16 USC IN KEY PAC-10 MATCHES: Second-place Stanford (19-2, 11-1 Pac-10) will host the other two top teams in the Pac-10 this weekend as first-place UCLA (21-1, 13-0 Pac-10) and third-place USC (15-5, 10-3 Pac-10) visit Maples Pavilion on Friday and Saturday, respectively. The Cardinal will be looking to revenge its only Pac-10 defeat of the season against the Bruins in a match to be televised live on FOX Sports Net. The Bruins beat Stanford in four games in Los Angeles on October 7 and have won 19 straight overall. Stanford defeated USC in three games on October 8 in Los Angeles but the Women of Troy have won seven of eight and six in a row since to stay in the Pac-10 title race. Friday’s televised match begins at 7:30 p.m., while Saturday’s first serve is set for 7:00 p.m. Both matches can be heard live at www.gostanford.com and on KZSU 90.1 FM.
37-MATCH HOME WIN STREAK ON THE LINE: Stanford’s current 37-match home win goes on the line versus UCLA and USC this weekend. The streak reached 37 with a victory over California on October 22. Stanford is 8-0 at home this year and hasn’t lost a match at Maples Pavilion since falling to Penn State on August 23, 1997. In fact, the Cardinal has won 87 of its last 88 home matches dating back to 1993. Stanford has also won 52 consecutive Pac-10 home matches dating back to September 15, 1994. Stanford has a 207-15 record over the past 16 seasons at Maples Pavilion, including a 50-match home win streak from November 23, 1993 through August 22, 1997. The streak is tied for the fifth longest in NCAA Division I history. Stanford has lost more than twice at home in a season just once since 1982 (7-4; 1989). Stanford is undefeated at home in five of the last six seasons (including 1999).
TEAM OF THE DECADE: The Cardinal has been one of the top teams in the country during the 1990’s. In the decade, Stanford has won four NCAA and six Pac-10 titles. The Cardinal has racked up an overall record of 281-29 (.906) in the decade, averaging just over three losses per year during the stretch heading into 1999. Stanford is also 161-13 (.925) in the Pac-10 and 136-7 (.951) at Maples Pavilion in the 1990’s. The Cardinal has captured national titles in 1992, ‘94, ‘96 and ‘97, and is 30-5 (.857) in the NCAA Tournament since 1990. In Pac-10 play, Stanford has finished first on six occasions (1991, ‘94, ‘95, ‘96, ‘97, ‘98) and second the other three years. The Cardinal has also lost more than twice in a season in the Pac-10 just once this decade (13-5, 1993). Individually, Stanford has produced nine All-Americans and a total of 21 All-American honors in the decade.
KERRI WALSH AND JENNIFER DETMER POST BIG PERFORMANCES: Kerri Walsh finished with an amazing .792 attack percentage (20K, 1E, 24 TA) last week, including an .800 attack percentage versus Oregon State. Jennifer Detmer posted a career-high-tying 11 blocks at Oregon State.
THE COACHES: One of the top coaches in collegiate volleyball history, Don Shaw has established Stanford University as a national powerhouse in his 20th season on The Farm (16th as head coach). Shaw has captured four NCAA titles and nine conference championships on his way to a 428-69 career mark and an .861 winning percentage that is the best in NCAA Division I women’s volleyball history. He is also coming off a pair of milestones in 1998 - career win No. 400 (Oct. 30 @ Washington) and Pac-10 win No. 200 (Oct. 2 vs. Washington State). He is scheduled to coach his 500th collegiate game when the Cardinal visits Arizona State on November 12. The numbers are even more impressive over the last six seasons (including 1999) as Shaw has guided his troops to a 171-14 (.924) overall record and a Pac-10 mark of 98-4 (.961). The veteran head coach has also made Maples Pavilion one of the toughest venues in all of collegiate sports, losing just 15 times at home in his career and compiling a .932 home winning percentage (207-15). Shaw, a 1977 graduate of UC Santa Barbara, arrived at Stanford as an assistant in 1980 and also worked as an assistant with the Cardinal men’s program prior to becoming the women’s head coach. He was an accomplished indoor and beach volleyball player, who was both a USVBA All-American and member of the U.S. National Team. UCLA’s Andy Banachowski is 866-201 (.812) in his 33rd year at the Bruins’ helm. His overall record is the same. USC interim head coach Jerritt Elliott is 15-5 (.750) in his first season with the Women of Troy and his overall record is the same.
THE RECORDS: Stanford is 19-2 overall and 11-1 in the Pac-10 this season. The Cardinal is on a serious roll of late with 18 wins in its last 19 contests and eight in a row. The second-place Cardinal is currently 1.5 games behind first-place UCLA in the Pac-10 race and leads third-place USC by 1.5 games. Stanford rolled to easy straight game wins at Oregon (15-2, 15-6, 15-4) and Oregon State (15-9, 15-4, 15-2) last week.
Freshman outside hitter Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, UT/Highland HS) leads Stanford with a 4.68 kill per game average and a team-high 0.47 service ace per game mark (#1 Pac-10). Three-time All-American senior outside hitter Kerri Walsh (Saratoga, CA/Archbishop Mitty HS) has been playing well of late and is currently averaging 3.19 kills per game. Walsh also leads the club in digs (3.21 dpg) and ranks third in attack percentage (.358). Junior middle blocker Jennifer Detmer (Thousand Oaks, CA/Thousand Oaks HS) has returned from an early-season injury to lead the club in attack percentage (.376) and blocks (1.62 bpg). Junior setter Lindsey Kagawa (Albany, CA/Albany HS) paces the club in assists (13.16 apg).
UCLA (21-1, 13-0 Pac-10) is having another excellent season and has currently won 19 straight matches. The Bruins only loss of the year came in the third match of the season at Hawaii on September 6. UCLA has been paced by the incredible play of sophomore outside hitter Kristee Porter, who currently ranks #6 in the nation with a 5.36 kill per game average. Porter became the second fastest player in NCAA women’s volleyball history to reach 1,000 kills in her career when she reached the magic figure during last Saturday’s win over Washington State. The Bruins also feature sophomore outside hitter Ashley Bowles (3.45 kpg) and senior middle blocker/outside hitter Tamika Johnson (3.33 kpg).
USC (15-5, 10-3 Pac-10) is playing its best volleyball of the year with a current six-match win streak and nine wins in its last 11 matches. Only losses to Stanford (October 8) and at UCLA (October 13) have smeared the stretch. The team’s balanced attack features three players averaging at least 3.36 kills per game. Junior outside hitter Antoinette Polk (3.88 kpg) leads the Women of Troy, while junior outside hitter Janae Henry (3.50 kpg) and sophomore middle blocker Jennifer Pahl (3.36 kpg) have also made heavy contributions.
THE SERIES: UCLA is one of just six teams in the country that lead Stanford in its all-time series as the Bruins currently lead 32-22. However, Stanford has won five straight over the Bruins at home. UCLA defeated the Cardinal in four games earlier this season in Los Angeles on October 7. Stanford leads the all-time series over USC, 41-9. The Cardinal defeated USC in three games on October 8 in Los Angeles.
LOGAN TOM MAKING A RUN FOR AVCA NATIONAL FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Highly-touted freshman outside hitter Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, UT/Highland HS) has already established herself as one of the top young players in the country and is making a run at AVCA National Freshman of the Year and All-American honors. Tom’s first season has been highlighted by her selection as the AVCA National Player of the Week on October 25 after leading the Cardinal to wins over then #2 Hawaii and #3 Pacific. For the season, Tom ranks among the Pac-10 leaders in three categories and leads the team in kills (4.68 kpg, #2 Pac-10), as well as service aces (0.47 sapg, #1 Pac-10). She also ranks second in digs (2.71 dpg) as well as fourth in attack percentage (.340, #7 Pac-10) and fifth in blocks (0.81 bpg). Tom has already posted 20 or more kills four times in her young collegiate career, including a career-high 26 versus Oregon State on October 1. The 26 kills were the most for a Stanford player since Kristin Folkl also had 26 kills versus Hawaii on November 23, 1997. The outside hitter has already been named Pac-10 Player of the Week twice (September 20, October 25). Tom did not even join the Cardinal until September 6, after missing the first two matches of ‘99 while competing for the U.S. Junior National Team at the World Junior Championships in Saskatoon, Canada from August 23-September 5. Tom, who is on the cover of the September issue of Sports Illustrated for Women and will also appear in an upcoming issue of Seventeen magazine, was the 1998 Gatorade Circle of Champions High School Volleyball Player of the Year. Tom was also the only high school member of the 1998 U.S. National Team at the NORCECA Qualifier.
WALSH LOOKING FOR FOURTH ALL-AMERICAN SELECTION: Senior outside hitter Kerri Walsh (Saratoga, CA/Archbishop Mitty HS) is on the verge of becoming just the second four-time first team AVCA All-American in collegiate women’s volleyball history. The Bay Area native has earned first team honors the last three seasons and can join former Stanford star Bev Oden (1989-92) as the only collegiate players to become four-time first team selections. Walsh is also shooting to become the fifth Stanford player to earn all-conference honors on four occasions (Kristin Klein, Bev Oden, Kim Oden, Cary Wendell), and the second Cardinal to win conference player of the year accolades twice (Kim Oden, 3 times).Walsh is currently second on the team in kills (3.19 kpg) and third in attack percentage (.358, #4 Pac-10). She also leads the club in digs (3.21 dpg, #7 Pac-10) and ranks second in blocks (1.25 bpg). Walsh was named Pac-10 Player of the Week on September 27 after hitting .395 with 44 kills, 37 digs and seven blocks in wins over Cal, Utah and BYU. Walsh has helped lead the Cardinal to two national titles, three Pac-10 crowns and a 110-10 (.917) record in her time on The Farm. The 1998 Pac-10 Player of the Year and 1996 National Freshman of the Year has 1,407 career kills (3.79 kpg) despite battling shoulder problems throughout her career. The senior recorded her 1,000th career dig in a victory at California on September 21 and picked up block #400 on October 8 at USC. Walsh is the Pac-10’s all-time attack percentage leader (.362) and paces all active conference players in career kills (1407), digs (1154) and blocks (439). Walsh ranks among Stanford’s career leaders in blocks (4th) and digs (5th).
CARDINAL NOTES: In eight home matches, Stanford has drawn five of the top seven volleyball crowds in the Pac-10 this year... Stanford leads the Pac-10 in attack percentage (.303, #6 NCAA), while Friday opponent UCLA is a close second (.297, #9 NCAA)... the Cardinal also pace the league in blocks (3.28 bpg, #11 NCAA) with the Bruins again second (2.93, #18 NCAA)... Stanford has hit .300 or better as a team 14 times this season and also recorded 10 or more team blocks on 14 occasions... UCLA setter Erika Selsor (13.69, #8 NCAA) and Cardinal setter Lindsay Kagawa (13.16) rank first and second in the Pac-10... Stanford is 8-0 at home and 9-2 on the road... the Cardinal have played against seven ranked teams this year, compiling a 5-2 record.