Oct. 11, 2001
Los Angeles, Calif. - The fourth-ranked Stanford women's volleyball team rallied from a two game deficit to defeat the fifth-ranked UCLA Bruins, 3-2 tonight in Pauley Pavilion. Game scores were 27-30, 25-30, 30-27, 30-24, 15-13.
The Cardinal improve to 14-1 on the season, 7-0 in the Pac-10 while UCLA drops to 9-3 overall, 4-2 in league play.
With Stanford trailing 7-8 in game one, the Cardinal put together a four point run to go ahead 11-8 on an Ashley Ivy service ace. After a block by Sara McGee and Robyn Lewis, UCLA got quick kills from Ashley Bowles and Kristee Porter to pull within one. Trailing by two at 14-16, the B ruins took the lead at 17-16 to force a Cardinal timeout. The two teams traded points until, at 24-all, UCLA took a 26-24 lead on a kill and Stanford hitting error. The Cardinal fought back to go up 27-26 on a Bruin hitting error but UCLA would rally off four consecutive points to end the game at 30-27.
The Bruins jumped on Stanford early in game two, opening up a 12-1 lead. The Cardinal made some adjustments, bringing in sophomore setter Anna Robinson. Stanford slowly inched back into the match only down by seven at 13-20. A block by Logan Tom and Sara McGee brought the team within five at 21-26 but the Cardinal could get no closer. UCLA took the two game lead with a 30-25 win.
Game three remained tight between the two teams until Stanford went on a four point run to go up 12-7 on a block by Ogonna Nnamani and Sara McGee. UCLA climbed back into the game to take the lead at 17-16 on a kill by Kristee Porter. The game went back and forth with neither team gaining more than a two-point advantage until, with the game tied at 27-all, the Cardinal reeled off three straight points to win the game, 30-27.
Game four was also a back and forth battle between the two teams with neither team gaining more than a two-point advantage. With UCLA leading 22-20, the Cardinal strung together five consecutive points to go up 25-22 on a service ace by Sara Sandrik. After a Kristee Porter kill, Stanford scored three straight points to open up the 28-23 lead. The Cardinal would secure the win, forcing a game five, on a block solo by Logan Tom at 30-24.
With game five knotted at five-all, Stanford got three quick kills to go up 8-5. After a UCLA kill, Stanford extended the lead to 10-6. A kill by Logan Tom would put the Cardinal up 12-8 but the Bruins fought back to within one at 11-12 and again at 12-13. A block by Ashley Ivy and Sara McGee got Stanford to game and match point at 14-12. Lauren Fendrick would register a kill to pull the Bruins within one, at 13-14 but Ogonna Nnamani's kill gave the Cardinal the game and the match.
Stanford was led by Logan Tom's team-high 24 kills and match-high 19 digs. Four Cardinal players ended the match in double-figures in kills including Ogonna Nnamani (12), Ashley Ivy (10) and Sara McGee (10). McGee also tallied a match-high eight blocks on the night. Ivy notched a career-high four service aces to lead Stanford. Anna Robinson contributed 41 assists, four digs and a block. Tara Conrad added six kills and two blocks.
Stanford outblocked UCLA 17-5. to eight for the match and hit .253 while holding the Bruins to a .185 clip.
The Cardinal is next in action tomorrow night against third-ranked USC at the Lyon Center at 7 p.m. Both Stanford and USC are undefeated in conference action this season. The match will be shown on a tape-delayed basis by FOX Sports Net. Check your local listings for date and time.