GAM00206GAM00206
Glen Mitchell / Stanford Athletics
Women's Volleyball

Stanford Aces Ohio State

YouTube Opens in a new window

STANFORD, Calif. – Led by outside hitter Caitie Baird, No. 5 Stanford defeated No. 15 Ohio State in straight sets (25-19, 25-16, 25-23), Friday, in the second match of the Big Ten/Pac-12 Challenge at Maples Pavilion.

Baird, who missed the first three matches of the season due to injury, was a force offensively for Stanford. The Indianapolis native led all players with 15 kills on 25 swings with just one miscue to hit a career-best .560. She also put down a career-high five aces to go with three digs and two blocks.
 


In its third consecutive sweep, Stanford (5-1) hit .302 as a team and recorded a season-high 13 aces, 30 digs and 9.0 blocks. Ohio State (3-3) was held to a .127 attack percentage and finished with 24 digs, 3.0 blocks and two aces.

Now in his seventh season at the helm of the program, Kevin Hambly, The Montag Family Director of Women's Volleyball, is 71-10 all-time at Maples Pavilion.

Stanford's serve receive was solid all night, giving setter Kami Miner options offensively. The junior finished with 34 assists and two kills to go with four digs and two blocks. Libero Elena Oglivie matched her season-high with 15 digs and notched two assists and two aces.


Middle blocker Sami Francis hit .583 with seven kills on 12 errorless swings to go with three blocks. Outside hitter Elia Rubin added nine kills, three digs and two aces, while middle blocker McKenna Vicini had a match-high five blocks.

Opposite Kendall Kipp had a quiet night offensively, registering just four kills, but the fifth-year chipped in with four blocks, three digs and two aces.


Freshman defensive specialist Koko Kirsch served back-to-back aces off the bench in the third set to put Stanford up 18-17. The Cardinal would not relinquish its lead for the remainder of the match.

Ohio State was led by Emily Londot's 10 kills and five digs. Libero Kaitlyn Hoffman had a team-high eight digs and both of the Buckeyes' aces.

Stanford closes out the weekend on Saturday versus No. 10 Minnesota, which outlasted sixth-ranked Oregon in five sets on Friday. The Cardinal and Gophers will meet at 7 p.m. on Pac-12 Insider following Oregon and Ohio State at 4:30 p.m.