Jenna_Gray_HGM_11_23_2016_118Jenna_Gray_HGM_11_23_2016_118
Héctor García-Molina/ISIPhotos.com
Women's Volleyball

Wisconsin Bound

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STANFORD, Calif. – Behind 17 kills from Pac-12 Freshman of the Year Kathryn Plummer, sixth-seeded Stanford swept Boise State, 25-11, 25-22, 25-18, Saturday in Maples Pavilion to advance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
 
Stanford (23-7) will travel to Madison, Wisconsin for the regional rounds, December 9-10. The Cardinal is making its 13th NCAA Regional appearance under 16th-year head coach John Dunning. Stanford now boasts 111 NCAA Tournament wins, the most in the nation.
 
As a team, Stanford was solid on both sides of the ball, hitting .362 and notching 11.0 blocks and 50 digs. The Broncos (26-7), which were making their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 2016, hit .157 and totaled 2.0 blocks and 39 digs.
 
Plummer hit .342 and collected six digs and a block to go with a match-high 17 kills. Redshirt senior middle blocker Inky Ajanaku hit .500 (9-2-14) and had three blocks, while redshirt junior opposite Merete Lutz added eight kills on .368 hitting and four blocks. Freshman middle blocker Audriana Fitzmorris finished with nine kills and a match-high seven blocks, while redshirt junior outside hitter Ivana Vanjak chipped in with five kills.
 
Freshman setter Jenna Gray controlled the offense with 38 assists to go with six digs, three kills and three blocks. Sophomore defensive specialist Halland McKenna added 10 digs, while senior Kelsey Humphreys totaled eight digs and the Cardinal's lone ace.
 
Freshman libero Morgan Hentz had a match-high 16 digs in the sweep. She also tied her career-high with six assists. Hentz has recorded double-digit digs in all 30 matches this season. She's averaging 4.63 digs per set, ranking fifth on Stanford's single-season list. Her 519 digs are the sixth-most in a single season in program history.
 
Boise State was led by junior Sierra Nobley's double-double of 12 kills and 12 digs. Setter Jaymee-Lee Bulda collected 27 assists, four digs and two kills for the Broncos, while freshman Janell Walley had seven kills and seven digs. Maddy O'Donnell, the Broncos' only senior, finished with six kills on .312 hitting.
 
Stanford will meet Florida State in the Sweet 16, held at the University of Wisconsin. It will be the first meeting between the two programs. The Seminoles upset 11th-seeded Florida, 3-2, in the NCAA Second Round on Saturday.