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Mike Rasay

Photo by Mike Rasay, StanfordPhoto.com

Women's Volleyball

Toreros Outlast Cardinal

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Box Score

STANFORD, Calif. – For just the second time under 16th-year head coach John Dunning, the Stanford women's volleyball team dropped its season opener. Up two sets to none, the 11th-ranked Cardinal fell 22-25, 19-25, 25-18, 25-21, 15-11 to San Diego, Friday, at Maples Pavilion.
 
San Diego, which was picked to win the West Coast Conference, edged Stanford in hitting percentage .228 to .220. The Toreros amped up their defense in the final three sets, totaling 66 digs and 14 blocks. The Cardinal finished with 20 team blocks and 53 digs. It marks the first win over Stanford for USD in six tries.

Friday marked the return of Stanford middle blocker Inky Ajanaku, a three-time All-American and 2014 Volleyball Magazine National Player of the Year, who missed the 2015 season after tearing her ACL playing with the U.S. National Team. The Tulsa, Oklahoma native tallied 11 kills on .429 hitting and eight blocks in her return.
 
Stanford was led in kills by sophomore outside hitter Hayley Hodson, who notched a double-double with 13 kills and 11 digs. Redshirt junior Merete Lutz also recorded a double-double with 10 kills and a career-high-tying 10 blocks.  

There were other bright spots for the Cardinal, including the collegiate debuts of four of its freshmen. Middle blocker Audriana Fitzmorris made her presence felt at the net early, racking up 11 blocks to go with six kills. Opposite Kathryn Plummer registered 12 kills and four blocks, while setter Jenna Gray had 25 assists, three digs and an ace playing a 6-2 with senior Kelsey Humphreys (25 assists, 6 digs). Libero Morgan Hentz finished with 15 digs and five assists in her debut.
 
Redshirt junior Ivana Vanjak, who has moved back to outside hitter after playing in the middle last year, totaled nine kills and three digs. Defensive specialist Halland McKenna added eight digs and two aces.
 
San Diego, which hit .370 in the fourth and .375 in the fifth, had four players post double-digit kills in the match. Sophomore outside hitter Lauren Fuller recorded a match-best 20 kills to go with 10 digs and three blocks. Junior Jayden Kennedy tallied 13 kills, while senior Laure Schad had 12 and sophomore Kaity Edwards turned in 11.

Stanford closes out the opening weekend against No. 3 Minnesota on Sunday, Aug. 28. First serve is slated for 1 p.m. on Pac-12 Network.