After suffering its first loss of the season last weekend in Los Angeles, the No. 2 Stanford women’s volleyball team looks to regroup as it takes on No. 7 Washington (15-1, 4-1 Pac-10) and Washington State (6-9, 0-5) at home this weekend.
Although the Card (14-1, 5-1) dropped a spot in the national rankings and can no longer boast an unblemished record, the loss to No. 10 UCLA provided Stanford with insight and areas to work on heading into the weeks ahead.
“We learned what every team learns when they lose–we are beatable and have things to work on,” said senior libero Gabi Ailes. “We learned we have to prepare with the same focus for every team we play.”
With no undefeated Pac-10 teams remaining after last weekend’s matches, Washington sits with Stanford and No. 6 California atop the conference standings as the only one-loss teams. The Huskies fell to No. 17 Oregon on the road in a 3-1 decision several weeks back–a team that the Cardinal swept decisively at Maples–but has since gotten back on track, taking down two top-10 opponents (No. 5 USC and No. 10 UCLA) and cross-state foe Washington State.
Tonight’s Washington-Stanford matchup will bring together two of the nation’s most dominant attacking teams. The Huskies currently boast the best hitting percentage of all NCAA Division I teams at .325, and the Card is right behind them at .324. Stanford, however, leads the nation in kills per set (15.06 compared with Washington’s 13.92), and senior outside hitter Alix Klineman is the conference kill leader, averaging 5.63 per set.
The Huskies’ strong front row has received much of its firepower from senior outside hitters Kindra Carlson and Becky Perry and junior middle blocker Bianca Rowland. Carlson is sixth in the Pac-10 with 4.02 kills per set, and Perry is 10th in the conference with 3.67. Rowland boasts the best hitting percentage in the Pac-10, .438, and is coming off of a strong 11-kill, .600 performance against Washington State last weekend.
Senior setter Jenna Hagglund, an All-Pac-10 selection last year, is averaging 11.92 assists per set, second-best in the conference. Hagglund, along with Stanford’s Klineman, was recently named one of 10 finalists for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award. In its first year given to volleyball players, the award honors student-athletes who have excelled in community, classroom, character and competition.
Both programs are perennial Pac-10 powerhouses–since 2004, Washington and Stanford have finished first or second in the conference every year–and though the Card leads the series against the Huskies 44-10, the schools are an even 8-8 against each other since 2003.
On Saturday, Stanford will square off against Washington State. The Cougars’ preseason was peppered with wins and losses, but they have had little success of late, going 0-5 in Pac-10 play. As the only team yet to win a conference match, the Cougars sit last in the conference, and have been swept by their last three opponents.
Junior outside hitter Meagan Ganzer leads the Cougars’ offense, with an impressive 283 kills on the season (5.44 per set) and 6.13 points per set–she is second in the conference to Klineman in both statistical categories. Ganzer had 17 kills, three blocks and an ace in Washington State’s loss to Washington last weekend.
WSU has also received notable contributions from its underclassmen. Sophomore libero Oceana Bush ranks fifth in the Pac-10 with four digs per set, and freshman setter Sara Biondi is seventh in the conference with 9.96 assists per set.
The Cardinal is 46-3 against the Cougars, last falling to them in 2002; Washington State has never won at Stanford.
“We are finding ways to improve every day this year,” Ailes said. “Our goal is to continue climbing the mountain and find a way to reach the peak at the right time–right around the Final Four.
“And continue to enjoy playing volleyball,” she added. “Some teams get so wrapped up in wins and losses, they forget the reason they play volleyball.”
Stanford will take on Washington tonight and Washington State on Saturday. Both matches are at 7 p.m. in Maples Pavilion. In addition, students who attend the Washington match will receive one Red Zone Loyalty Point toward admission to Big Game.