STANFORD, Calif. – In a complete team effort, No. 1 Stanford opened the NCAA Tournament with a 25-10, 25-17, 25-15 win over SWAC champion Alabama State, Friday, at Maples Pavilion.
Stanford (29-1) posted its best hitting performance of the year with a .446 attack percentage, while holding Alabama State (23-18) to a .108 clip. The Cardinal served aggressively, matching its season-high with 10 aces.
Sophomore outside hitter Meghan McClure led all players with nine kills on .444 hitting and nine digs. Senior Tami Alade hit .778 with seven kills on nine errorless swings. The senior subbed in late in the third to serve for the first time in her career and registered an ace.
The Cardinal outmatched the Hornets in the opening set as Alabama State hit -.154 and tallied just five kills. Stanford posted a perfect 100 percent sideout rate in the opening set. The Hornets responded in the second, hitting .417 with just one attack error, but it wasn't enough to overcome a late Cardinal run.
Junior setter Jenna Gray finished with 35 assists and two blocks, while libero Morgan Hentz had nine digs, two assists and an ace. Junior Kathryn Plummer collected four kills, five digs and two aces.
Senior middle blocker Courtney Bowen recorded five kills on .833 hitting to go with four blocks. Four Stanford players finished with four kills, including a career-high for freshman Mackenzie Fidelak. The opposite also had a career-best two blocks. Freshman Holly Campbell and junior Audriana Fitzmorris each registered four kills as well.
Sophomore Blake Sharp came off the bench as a serving sub and notched her first career-ace in the second set. Redshirt sophomore Michaela Keefe had three kills and a career-high two aces in the third set. Junior Caitlin Keefe played in all three sets and finished with three digs.
Alabama State was led by Bayle' Bennett's eight kills, while Krysta Medearis added six kills and the Hornets' only ace. Libero Kayla Torres had a team-high eight digs.
Stanford will take on Loyola Marymount on Saturday in the second round at Maples Pavilion. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Pac-12 Networks.
