Nov. 19, 1999
Stanford, Calif. - No. 2 Stanford (25-2, 17-1 Pac-10) clinched a share of the Pac-10 women's volleyball championship with a 15-8, 15-9, 15-5 victory over Washington (8-17, 4-13 Pac-10) in the Cardinal's 1999 Pac-10 regular season finale. Stanford has now either won outright or shared each of the past six Pac-10 championships. The Cardinal will receive the league's automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament due to a tiebreaking scenario with UCLA. The teams split their matches with each team winning in four games on its home court. The third tie-breaker was total points scored in those games between each other and the Cardinal came out ahead, 89-86.
UCLA had to survive a late scare in a match at USC tonight before holding off the third-place Women of Troy (16-4, 15-6, 11-15, 19-17).
In tonight's win over Washington, sophomore middle blocker Sara Sandrick (Pelham, AL/Pelham HS) exploded off the bench to lead the Cardinal with match-highs of 13 kills and seven blocks to go with a career-high .692 attack percentage (13-1-19). The attack percentage was the second highest total by a Cardinal player this season.
The Cardinal had excellent efforts from three seniors playing in their final regular season home match. Outside hitter Sarah Clark (Kamuela, HI/Hawaii Prep HS) contributed nine kills and seven digs to go with a .300 attack percentage. Three-time All-American and 1999 National Player of the Year candidate Kerri Walsh (Saratoga, CA/Archbishop Mitty HS) moved into fifth place on Stanford's all-time kill list this evening. She now has 1471 career kills after contributing six kills and no errors in just 14 swings. Outside hitter/defensive specialist Jaimi Gregory (Westminster, CA/Wilson HS) added 10 kills.
Stanford held a big advantage at the net in tonight's victory, outblocking the Huskies, 15-1. After Sandrick's team-leading seven blocks, junior middle blocker Jennifer Detmer (Thousand Oaks, CA/Thousand Oaks HS) added six blocks and Walsh contributed five.
Sophomore outside hitter Lisa Underhill (Vista, CA/Rancho Buena Vista HS) led Washington with eight kills.
The Cardinal closes out its regular season schedule with a non-conference match at Santa Clara next Tuesday, November 23 (7:00 p.m.).
Stanford will learn its seeding in the 1999 NCAA Tournament when the 64-team field is announced on Sunday, November 28. The event begins on December 2.