PHOENIX – Behind a season-best .489 team hitting percentage, Stanford knocked off No. 10 Grand Canyon, 3-1, Saturday at Antelope Gymnasium.
The Cardinal (3-11, 1-2 MPSF) was firing on all cylinders against the Antelopes (11-5, 1-3 MPSF), limiting itself to just seven hitting errors in the match. Stanford posted a season-high 9.0 blocks, holding the Lopes to a .277 clip.
Freshman opposite Jaylen Jasper hit a career-best .633, matching his career-high with 20 kills on 30 swings with just one error. Sophomore outside hitter Eric Beatty added 12 kills on a season-best .524 to go with five digs and two aces.
Stanford tallied eight service aces as a team and had zero reception errors. Middle blockers Kevin Rakestraw and Kyler Presho each turned in six kills and two aces for the Cardinal.
Setter Russell Dervay dished out 44 assists, his third-most of the season. The junior was also 5-0-5 (1.000) offensively and finished with two blocks. Senior Evan Enriques returned to the starting libero spot, collecting a team-high six digs.
Grand Canyon was led by senior outside hitter Shalev Saada, who had 16 kills on .258 hitting. Senior libero Sky Engleman anchored the Lopes' defense with 10 digs.
Stanford had a sideout rate of 75 percent for the match, including 80 percent-plus in the final three sets. The Cardinal hit .722 in the second, marking its highest output in a set this season.
Stanford returns to The Farm on Wednesday to continue MPSF play against No. 7 BYU. The match will be televised on Pac-12 Networks at 7 p.m.
