Aug. 24, 2012
HONOLULU -In the season opener for both squads, the sixth-ranked Stanford women's volleyball team swept Saint Mary's, 25-14, 25-16, 25-20, Friday, at the Chevron Rainbow Wahine Invitational in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Stanford utilized 13 players from its 15-player roster. Junior middle blocker Carly Wopat led the team with 10 kills on 15 attempts with just one error to post a .600 hitting percentage. She also tallied a match-high six blocks to go with five digs. Senior outside hitter Hayley Spelman added eight kills and matched Wopat with six blocks. Senior setter Karissa Cook turned in a double-double with 36 assists and 15 digs.
Four freshmen, Inky Ajanaku, Madi Bugg, Jordan Burgess and Brittany Howard, all made their collegiate debuts. Ajanaku and Howard tallied seven kills apiece, while Burgess added six kills.
Stanford claimed the first set, 25-14, over Saint Mary's. Both teams had to work through some first-match jitters as the score remained close early on. However, the Cardinal put together a 7-2 run, which included two kills and two blocks by Spelman, to take the lead for good. Stanford recorded a .560 hitting percentage in the first set, while holding SMC to a .172 clip.
The Cardinal continued to click well offensively, capturing the second set 25-16. Posting a .385 attack percentage in the set, Stanford held the Gaels to a .128 hitting percentage. Ajanaku and Howard paced the Cardinal with four kills apiece, while Spelman added three kills and a block. Howard registered a solo block to score the final point of the set for the Cardinal.
Stanford completed the sweep with a 25-20 win in the third set. The Gaels kept the score close throughout, taking the lead at 12-11. However, coupled with a few SMC errors, Spelman and Burgess combined for six kills and two blocks down the stretch to stave off the Gaels.
Stanford faces Albany in its second match of the Chevron Rainbow Wahine Invitational on Saturday, Aug. 25 at 8 p.m. PT.