20-0

Box Score

STANFORD, Calif. – The No. 1 Stanford women’s volleyball team improved to 20-0 with a 23-25, 25-22, 25-20, 25-19 win over No. 19 USC, Sunday, at Maples Pavilion in Stanford, Calif. The Cardinal move to 10-0 in Pac-12 play, while the Trojans drop to 12-8 overall and 5-5 in the conference.

The 20-0 start ties the best start to a season since 1994. The 1991 squad holds the program record, going 27-0. Stanford (.233) hit under .250 for just the third time this season, but held the Trojans to a .171 clip. The Cardinal has outhit 19 of its 20 opponents on the year.

Junior middle blocker Inky Ajanaku led the team with 16 kills, three blocks and two digs. Junior outside hitter Jordan Burgess registered her team-best 11th double-double of the year with 13 kills and a season high 21 digs. She also collected four blocks and three assists.

Junior setter Madi Bugg guided the Cardinal offense with 51 assists and 12 digs for her ninth double-double of the year. She was one kill shy of her career high with six and she added four blocks. Senior libero Kyle Gilbert anchored the defense with a season high 26 digs.

Redshirt freshman Merete Lutz, who leads the nation in hitting percentage, finished 12-1-27 (.407) and added five blocks and three assists. Junior outside hitter Brittany Howard added nine kills and 14 digs, while senior opposite Morgan Boukather added seven kills and eight digs.

Stanford also got production from sophomore Kelsey Humphreys, who tied her career high with 10 digs and junior Megan McGehee, who tied her career high with three service aces.

USC was led by junior Samantha Bricio’s 19 kills and 16 digs, while sophomore Ebony Nwanebu added 15 kills and 16 digs. Sophomore libero Taylor Whittingham finished with a match-high 29 digs for the Trojans.

Stanford hits the road next week, travelling to Oregon State on Friday, Oct. 31 and No. 11 Oregon on Sunday, Nov. 2. Both matches will be televised on the Pac-12 Networks.