Sept. 14, 2006
Stanford, Calif. - In a highly anticipated match between two top-10 teams, the No. 7 Cardinal swept No. 8 Santa Clara tonight, 30-28, 30-14, 30-23, at the Stanford Invitational. Senior outside hitter Kristin Richards tallied a season-high 16 kills to put the Broncos away, as well as five digs, four blocks and an ace. Sophomore middle blocker Foluke Akinradewo added nine kills for the Cardinal, and sophomore outside hitter Cynthia Barboza followed with eight kills. Junior outside hitter Franci Girard also tallied a season-high nine blocks against Santa Clara.
The Cardinal came out inspired in game one, rising to a 3-1 lead off of a kill by Richards and service ace by Girard. Santa Clara tried to keep up with a kill by Kim McGiven, but Stanford surged ahead, 7-3, off of an ace by Barboza. Two Bronco kills sparked a 2-0 run, but Stanford continued on its own 2-0 streak off of Santa Clara attacking errors. The Broncos tied the game at 11 off of back-to-back kills by McGiven, then continued on a 4-1 run with a kill from Lindsay Evans, 13-12. Akinradewo ended the run with a kill from the middle as Stanford rallied for two straight points. The Broncos wouldn't back down as Anna Cmaylo pounded two cross-court kills at the Cardinal, 15-14. McGiven continued the streak with a kill as Santa Clara moved ahead, 17-14. A tip from junior setter Bryn Kehoe kicked off a 3-1 run to put Stanford within a point, 17-18, but the Broncos inched ahead on a 6-3 streak. Barboza's service ace pulled the Cardinal within a point, 25-24, then the Cardinal tied the game at 26 on a net violation. A block by Girard and Richards put the game within a point for the Cardinal, then Richards ended it with a powerful kill from the right side, 30-28.
Santa Clara jumped ahead, 2-0, in game two with a kill by Brittany Lowe and a service ace from Crystal Matich. Akinradewo answered with a kill from the middle to push the Cardinal on an 8-1 run, including two more kills by Barboza and senior Nji Nnamani, as well as an ace from Kehoe. Santa Clara gradually worked its way back off of three kills by McGiven, pulling within three points on a kill by Matich, 11-8. Attacking errors by the Broncos helped Stanford increase its lead, 15-9, but Santa Clara continued to fight with a 2-0 spurt. Nnamani later pounded a kill down the middle to put the Cardinal up, 21-12, igniting a 7-1 run. Richards threw down a kill that was blocked to the rafters, then followed with another kill to close game two, 30-14.
Game three opened in a tight contest, but Stanford pulled ahead, 3-2, on a kill by Richards. Stanford then continued on a 4-0 run, highlighted by a kill from Richards and a trickling service ace from Nnamani. The Broncos' Matich registered a kill from the left side, but Akinradewo regained possession with a quick kill from the middle, 9-5. Santa Clara's Evans tallied a kill on the right side, but a kill by Barboza and a block from Richards and Girard put Stanford ahead, 13-8. The Cardinal continued to increase its lead with a 3-1 run, 16-9. Cmaylo pounded a kill down the right line as Santa Clara put together a 3-0 streak, but Akinradewo ended the run with a kill from the right side, 17-12. Barboza later put the Cardinal ahead, 20-15, with a kill, but the Broncos collected two points in a row to pull within three. A kill from Nnamani in the middle brought the score to 23-18, followed by a block from Kehoe and Akinradewo. Barboza brought game three within a point on a cross-court kill, then Nnamani and Girard ended it with a block, 30-23.
Nnamani led the squad with 11 digs against the Broncos, followed by sophomore Jessica Fishburn with 10 digs. Kehoe collected 37 assists, as well as three blocks and an ace. Nnamani also tallied three of the Cardinal's seven aces.
Stanford continues tournament action tomorrow against Georgetown at 7:00 pm. UC Irvine will also take on Saint Mary's at 5:00 pm.