STANFORD, Calif. – Trailing 14-12 in the fifth, No. 2 Stanford got three kills from Audriana Fitzmorris to complete a 25-17, 20-25, 24-26, 25-18, 17-15 comeback over No. 18 Utah, Sunday, at Maples Pavilion.
Fitzmorris scored three of Stanford's final four points and matched her season-high with 18 kills. The Overland Park, Kansas, native also turned in a season-best eight blocks.
Stanford (13-3) remains in a tie with California for first place in the Pac-12 Conference at 7-1. Utah (13-6) dropped to 5-3 in Pac-12 play.
Junior Meghan McClure recorded her first double-double of the season with a season-best 14 kills to go with 14 digs. The outside hitter had just one hitting error on the afternoon, posting a .333 attack percentage.
Setter Jenna Gray also had a double-double, matching her season-high with 60 assists and 10 digs. She also finished with four kills, five blocks and an ace. Senior libero Morgan Hentz had a team-high 22 digs and is now just two away from 2,000 in her career.
Gray spread the offense around as four players registered double-digit kills. Joining Fitmorris and McClure were senior Madeline Gates and freshman Kendall Kipp. Gates had a season-best 13 kills on .344 hitting and five blocks, while Kipp added 14 kills.
Sophomore Holly Campbell had a match-high nine blocks and seven kills. Defensive specialists Kate Formico and Caitlin Keefe combined for 25 digs, while Formico put down two aces.
A tough battle at Maples ended in a Cardinal victory. ??
— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) October 21, 2019
Audriana Fitzmorris' kill sealed @StanfordWVB's 3-2 win over Utah, earning the @OpusBank #12Best moment of the match. pic.twitter.com/sIfhf5FFuk
Utah registered seven blocks in the third set on its way to a 26-24 victory and a 2-1 lead in the match. The Cardinal responded, hitting .400 as a team in the fourth set and outlasted the Utes in the fifth.
Utah junior Dani Drews had a match-high 21 kills, but was held to .143 hitting. Libero Brianna Doehrmann racked up a match-best 25 digs.
Stanford hits the road next week, traveling to Los Angeles to take on UCLA on Friday and USC on Sunday. Friday's match will be televised on ESPNU, while Sunday's will air on Pac-12 Networks.