STANFORD, Calif. – Registering its highest hitting percentage since 2013, No. 7 Stanford swept USC, 25-15, 25-15, 25-16, Sunday, at Maples Pavilion.
Stanford (14-4) hit a blistering .605 for the match, while holding USC (16-5, 8-2 Pac-12) to a .221 clip. The Cardinal improved to 9-1 in the Pac-12 Conference, claiming sole possession of first place at the halfway point.
Stanford's team hitting percentage was its highest since it hit .609 against Air Force in The Pentagon on Sept. 12, 2013. The Cardinal has now won eight straight matches.
Opposite Kendall Kipp hit a career-high .737 with a team-best 14 kills on 19 errorless swings. The senior also added four blocks, three digs and an ace against the Trojans. Freshman outside hitter Elia Rubin posted 12 kills on a .500 attack percentage, four digs and two blocks.
??????@KippKendall & @mlvicini seal the first set win!#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/ZQIdWoBV9q
— Stanford Women's Volleyball (@StanfordWVB) October 23, 2022
Stanford recorded 49 kills in the three sets and racked up 33 digs and 7.0 blocks. The Cardinal also tallied seven aces, including a career-high three by freshman Kelly Belardi. The rookie served seven straight points in the opening set to help Stanford pull away from USC.
Setter Kami Miner dished out 39 assists, matched her season-high with four kills and had three digs and an ace. Libero Elena Oglivie racked up a match-high 16 digs to lead the Cardinal defense.
.@MinerKami catches 'em sleepin ??#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/3eZxco3LUN
— Stanford Women's Volleyball (@StanfordWVB) October 23, 2022
Stanford led wire-to-wire in the second and third sets. The Cardinal finished with 22 kills on 30 swings with no errors in the third to hit a whopping .733.
Stanford's middle blockers, McKenna Vicini and Sami Francis, were errorless on the afternoon. Vicini was a perfect 6-0-6 (1.000) offensively and totaled four blocks, while Francis had six kills on a .462 clip and three blocks. Outside hitter Caitie Baird chipped in with seven kills on a .462 attack percentage. The redshirt junior also had three digs, an ace and a career-high four assists.
Oop ?? @caitiebaird_#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/A7jWf7Vt2g
— Stanford Women's Volleyball (@StanfordWVB) October 23, 2022
USC was led by outside hitter Skylar Fields' 12 kills and six digs. Middle blocker Kalyah Williams hit .750 with six kills on eight errorless swings for the Trojans.
Stanford is now 69-24 all-time versus USC having won 10 straight over the Trojans.
Stanford hits the road next week, traveling to Washington State on Friday and No. 15 Washington on Sunday. Both matches will be televised on Pac-12 Networks.