Nov. 30, 2012
STANFORD, Calif. - The No. 2 Stanford women's volleyball team opened the 2012 NCAA Tournament with a 25-10, 25-17, 25-10 sweep over Jackson State, Friday, in Maples Pavilion in Stanford, Calif. The Cardinal improves to 28-3 overall, while the Lady Tigers end the season with a 24-12 mark.
All 15 players on the Stanford roster took the court on Friday. Freshman Brittany Howard led the way with nine kills, six digs and two blocks. Junior middle blocker Carly Wopat added seven kills and four blocks, while freshman middle blocker Megan McGehee tied her career high with six kills on six swings for a 1.000 hitting percentage. Freshman setter Madi Bugg finished with 22 assists, five digs and a career high five service aces. As a team, Stanford hit .375 in the match while holding JSU to a -.025clip.
The Cardinal dominated the opening set, winning 25-10. Stanford hit .346 in the set, putting down 12 kills with just three errors. The Cardinal held the Lady Tigers to a -.071 attack percentage. Stanford put down three aces, led by Bugg, and collected four blocks. Howard led the team with six kills and six digs. Freshman middle blocker Inky Ajanaku added two kills and two blocks for the Cardinal. Junior Paige Williams led JSU with two kills.
Stanford captured the second set, 25-17, to take a 2-0 lead in the match. The Cardinal played 14 different players in the set and hit .267 while collecting three blocks. JSU hit negative again in the second, posting a -.036 clip. McGehee led Stanford with four kills on four swings. Wopat added three kills and two blocks for the Cardinal. The Lady Tigers were led by senior Christine Edwards who registered four kills.
The Cardinal capped off the sweep with a 25-10 victory in the third set. Stanford was firing on all cylinders, hitting .542 in the set. Wopat paced the team with four kills, while Howard and junior Rachel Williams added three apiece. Jasmine Knight led the Lady Tigers with three kills in the third, while Edwards finished with five kills in the match.
Stanford advances to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, where it will face No. 17 Western Kentucky. The Cardinal and Lady Toppers are scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. in Maples Pavilion. WKU swept Loyola Marymount in the first match of the evening on Friday.