Nov. 15, 2012
LOS ANGELES - The No. 1 Stanford women's volleyball team dropped a 19-25, 20-25, 29-27, 22-25 at No. 8 USC, Thursday, at the Galen Center in Los Angeles. The Cardinal's winning streak ends at 22 matches as the team falls to 24-3 overall and 16-1 in the Pac-12. USC moves to 25-4 overall and 13-4 in the conference.
Freshman Jordan Burgess led Stanford with her 10th double-double of the season, registering 15 kills and a career high 25 digs. Freshman Brittany Howard turned in a double-double for the third consecutive match, collecting 15 kills and 22 digs. Freshman middle blocker Inky Ajanaku finished with 11 kills and three blocks, while junior Carly Wopat totaled nine kills and two blocks.
Senior setter Karissa Cook also picked up a double-double with 25 assists and 16 digs. Freshman Madi Bugg finished with 23 assists and 14 digs for her ninth double-double of the year. Sophomore libero Kyle Gilbert recorded a career-best 32 digs. As a team, Stanford registered a season-high 117 digs, but hit just .187 overall. USC finished with 112 digs and a .250 hitting percentage.
The Cardinal came out sluggish against the Trojans and dropped the first set 25-19. Stanford was playing catch-up the whole set, tying the score at 13-13, but was unable to capture the lead. USC outhit Stanford .333 to .262 in the opening set as each team recorded a block. Ajanaku and Howard paced the Cardinal with four kills apiece. Howard also racked up eight digs to lead the defense. The Trojans were led by freshman outside hitter Samantha Bricio, who registered six kills. USC libero Natalie Hagglund tallied 15 digs in the set to lead the Trojan defense.
Stanford fell behind 0-2 in the match, dropping the second set 25-20. The score was close throughout, but the Trojans captured the lead at 9-8 and never relinquished it. There were nine tie scores and four lead changes in the set in which USC hit .268 and limited Stanford to a .216 attack percentage. Burgess, Howard and Wopat all put down three kills to lead the Cardinal offensively. Junior Alexis Olgard paced the Trojans with five kills and two blocks.
Stanford avoided being swept for the first time this season, outlasting USC 29-27 in the third. Trailing 24-20, the Cardinal reeled off five straight points to take the lead. The teams then traded points until Stanford came out on top. Neither team hit well offensively as the Cardinal posted a .141 hitting percentage in the third and the Trojans hit .167. Burgess recorded six kills, Howard put down five and Wopat added four for Stanford. However, the defense by the Cardinal kept the team in it. Gilbert paced the team with 15 digs, while Burgess, Bugg and Howard all tallied nine. Junior Sara Shaw led USC with six kills in the third, while Hagglund registered 17 digs.
USC posted a 25-22 victory in the fourth set to win the match. Stanford pulled out to an 8-4 advantage, but six straight points by USC gave the Trojans the lead for good. There were seven tie scores in the set in which USC hit .295 while holding Stanford to a .174 clip. Ajanaku led the Cardinal with five kills, while Burgess, Howard and junior Rachel Williams each put down three. Bricio finished with 19 kills and 22 digs to lead the Trojans, while Hagglund posted 44 digs overall.
Up next, Stanford takes on No. 5 UCLA on Friday, Nov. 16. The Cardinal and Bruins will square off in the first volleyball match played in the newly renovated Pauley Pavilion at 7 p.m.