STANFORD, Calif. – For the second time this season the Stanford women's volleyball team has gone up 2-0 on its opponent and failed to close out the match on its home court. Friday's opponent, No. 20 Purdue, gritted out a tough 31-33, 12-25, 25-23, 28-26, 15-11 win at Maples Pavilion.
Stanford (3-2) topped Purdue (6-1) in blocks (17.0 to 11.0), aces (7 to 5) and hitting percentage (.230 to .222), but the Boilermakers held a 73-64 advantage in digs and both teams notched 71 kills.
The Cardinal took a 1-0 lead in the match with a 33-31 win in the opening set despite Purdue hitting .405. Stanford freshmen Audriana Fitzmorris and Kathryn Plummer each recorded five kills in the set, while Inky Ajanaku, Hayley Hodson and Merete Lutz each put down four. There were a whopping 20 tie scores and seven lead changes in the first set alone.
Stanford dominated the second set, winning 25-12. The Cardinal hit .267 as a team while the Boilermakers were held to a -.094 clip, committing 10 attack errors and converting just seven kills. Fitzmorris again registered five kills to lead Stanford, while freshman Michaela Keefe entered the match late in the set and tallied two kills, including on set-point.
Things went south for the Cardinal after the 10 minute break. Purdue avoided the sweep with a 25-23 win in the third in which Stanford hit .179 and had seven attack errors. The Boilermakers then jumped out to a 7-2 lead in the fourth to keep its momentum going. Stanford tied the fourth at 8-8, but Purdue continued to sideout and eventually won the fourth, 28-26.
Stanford led 7-4 in the fifth and felt in control of the final frame. Purdue had other plans going on an 8-0 run which put the Cardinal in a deficit it was unable to recover from.
Ajanaku led the team with season-highs in kills (16), blocks (9) and hitting percentage (.517). Fitzmorris added 15 kills and eight blocks, while redshirt junior outside hitter Ivana Vanjak finished with career-highs of 13 kills and five digs. Freshman libero Morgan Hentz also turned in a career-best with 27 digs.
Senior setter Kesley Humphreys totaled 37 assists and six digs, while freshman Jenna Gray added 27 assists, six digs and an ace. Hodson notched nine kills, a season-best 13 digs and three aces, Lutz had 10 kills and five blocks, and Plummer finished with six kills and a season-high seven blocks. Defensive specialist Halland McKenna, who had to play front row in the first set after Stanford ran out of subs, finished with three digs and two aces.
Purdue junior Azariah Stahl led all players with 20 kills, nine digs and three blocks. Junior middle blocker Danielle Cuttino chipped in with 18 kills and four blocks, while setter Ashley Evans had a double-double with 60 assists and 13 digs.
Stanford closes out the weekend on Sunday, Sept. 11 against Cal Poly. First serve is slated for 1 p.m. PT in Maples Pavilion.
