SALT LAKE CITY – Behind senior opposite Morgan Boukather, the top-ranked Stanford women’s volleyball team defeated Utah, 25-20, 25-21, 23-25, 25-19, Sunday, at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Cardinal improves to 18-0, its best start to a season since 1994 (20-0), and 8-0 in the Pac-12, while the Utes drop to 12-7 overall and 2-6 in the conference.
Boukather led the team with a career high 18 kills on a .467 hitting percentage to go with 11 digs and four blocks. Junior outside hitter Jordan Burgess registered her team-best 10th double-double of the season with 12 kills and 15 digs. She also tied her season high with three blocks.
Junior setter Madi Bugg controlled the offense with 52 assists and 15 digs for her seventh double-double of the year. Redshirt freshman Merete Lutz finished with 12 kills on a .417 hitting percentage and tied her career high with six blocks. Junior middle blocker Inky Ajanaku added 10 kills and six blocks, while junior Brittany Howard finished with eight kills, 13 digs and five blocks.
The Cardinal, which hit .308, held the Utes to a .178 attack percentage thanks to 15 team blocks, which ties its season high. Stanford has outhit its opponents in 17 of its 18 matches this season.
Utah was led by Shelby Dalton and Adora Anae who both tallied 12 kills. Outside hitter Chelsey Schofield added eight kills and 15 digs.
Stanford returns to The Farm next week to play host to No. 19 UCLA on Friday, Oct. 24 and No. 18 USC on Sunday, Oct. 26. Both matches will be televised on the Pac-12 Networks.