STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford junior Jaylen Jasper had 18 kills, but couldn't prevent Stanford from losing to Lewis, 25-18, 22-25, 25-23, 25-23 at Burnham Pavilion on Saturday.
Stanford (6-11) lost to Lewis for the second time in as many nights, but not before putting up a fight at the end of each of the third and fourth sets before falling just short.
In the third, Lewis held a 24-20 lead, but consecutive kills from Jasper and two from Eric Beatty, cut the deficit to a point, only for a block of another Beatty attack ended the threat.
In the fourth, Lewis again seemed to have the set in hand at 24-20, but a tip by Beatty and two kills by Will Rottman – the last into the chest of a Lewis player -- cut the deficit to 24-23. On one play, Stanford's Justin Lui saved the ball with a great effort in which he careened to the base of the bleachers, recovered, and made another dig, leacing to a Rottman kill. But Lewis got a powerful attack from Dalen Istenes to close the match.
Jasper had eight digs, four blocks, and even an assist to go with his team-high kill total. Rottman had 14 kills, and Stephen Moye and Beatty had eight kills apiece.
No. 5 Lewis (15-4) hit .374 to Stanford's .221.
No. 13 Stanford returns to action Friday in a 6 p.m. match at Maples Pavilion against No. 2 BYU. After that, Stanford will have 13 days without a match because of Dead Week and winter quarter finals.