No. 17 Stanford women’s volleyball (13-6, 7-4 Pac-12) made quick work of the No. 7 Washington Huskies (18-3, 8-3) in a three-set upset at home Wednesday night, snapping the Huskies’ seven-game win streak. This is the second time the Cardinal have defeated the Huskies this season and their seventh straight victory against Washington in Maples Pavilion.
Freshman opposite Kathryn Plummer and fifth-year senior Inky Ajanaku led Stanford’s attack. Plummer recorded her team-leading fifth double-double on the season, tallying 11 kills and 15 digs, while Ajanaku tacked on an additional 11 kills and four blocks.
Stanford was on a roll after going up 4-0 to start the first set. The Cardinal never trailed in the first set, opening the match with a 25-16 win.
Although Washington battled back in the second set, Stanford tied the game at 10 apiece and pulled ahead on its way to a 25-20 victory. Seniors Ivana Vanjak and Merete Lutz each contributed three kills in the second set, and three service aces from the Cardinal helped to propel the offense.
Washington fought for its life in the third set, jumping out to a 10-4 lead, but the Cardinal were on a roll. Stanford put up six straight points to tie the set, and the teams traded blows to the very end. After Stanford took a 24-23 lead, Washington kept the game alive, forcing an additional two match points before two straight kills from Ajanaku ended the set and match in the Cardinal’s favor.
Stanford maintained a healthy edge over the Huskies for most of the match, outhitting them .347 to .155 and putting up 47 digs to Washington’s 33. With just nine regular season games remaining on the schedule, every conference victory matters for Stanford.
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Up next, the Cardinal will take on No. 18 Washington State in Maples Pavilion Friday night. The Cougars have a formidable defense and currently lead the Pac-12 with a .145 opponent’s hitting percentage. They are led by senior outside hitter Kyra Holt, who ranks fifth in the conference with 303 kills.
Last time these two mets, Stanford fell in five sets in Pullman, Washington. It was just the fourth time in program history that the Cardinal have lost to the Cougars. With the momentum of a dominant win at its heels and a home court advantage, the Stanford team will seek revenge against Washington State.
The Cardinal’s 3.40 blocks per set are good enough for second in the nation, and with Plummer and Ajanaku leading the offensive charge, Stanford looks poised for another win.
First serve is at 6 p.m. in Maples Pavilion. The match will be broadcast on Pac-12 Bay Area and Pac-12 Washington.
Contact Olivia Hummer at ohummer ‘at’ stanford.edu.