Following a tough loss at the hands of No. 1 UCLA, Stanford faces another challenge on the road against new Pac-12 members Colorado and Utah. The Cardinal’s last meetings with each of the two teams went exceptionally well, as Stanford picked up straight-set victories against both squads, but repeating the sweep might be slightly more difficult away from home.
No. 3 Stanford (17-4, 11-4 Pac-12) hopes to prove that its performance Saturday night was nothing but a momentary blip in an otherwise terrific season and use the weekend series to make up even more ground in the Pac-12 standings. It currently sits two games back from top teams UCLA and USC with just seven games to go.
The last showdown the Cardinal had with Colorado (5-18, 0-15) resulted in a dominant victory in which Stanford hit .387 and won 25-14, 25-15, 25-15. The Buffaloes have lost 15 straight games but are looking to make Stanford’s first trip to their home court a tough one for the Cardinal. Last Friday, they almost completed a memorable comeback against Oregon State, winning the third and fourth sets before falling in the fifth.
If Colorado is able to pull off an incredible upset, it will most likely be due to the play of junior outside hitter Kerra Schroeder and sophomore libero Megan Beckwith. In their last matchup with Stanford, Schroeder led Colorado with 13 kills. Shutting her down will be the main concern for the Cardinal defense. Beckwith will also be a huge factor in the game, as she is one of the top defensive players in the Pac-12, averaging 4.25 digs per set.
Utah (9-15, 4-11) is also not an opponent to be taken lightly. Last weekend, the Utes managed to pull off a 3-2 upset victory on the road over the Oregon Ducks and will be gunning for Stanford come Saturday.
The Utes have one of the strongest net defenses in the game, as both sophomore middle blocker Erin Redd and senior middle blocker Danielle Killpack rank in the top 10 in the Pac-12 in blocks per set. This dynamic duo will be looking to shut down the Cardinal attackers. They will especially be targeting sophomore outside hitter Rachel Williams, who recorded 16 kills against the Utes in their last meeting.
Coach John Dunning stated that the keys to both matchups will be “playing relentless defense and serving tough,” a mantra that Stanford has certainly followed so far this year. In their last matchup with Utah, they held the Utes to a .126 hitting percentage (while hitting .333 themselves) and recorded six service aces, including five by junior setter Karissa Cook alone.
It will certainly be an interesting weekend in women’s volleyball, as Colorado and Utah attempt to make an impressive statement and prove they belong in the Pac-12, while Stanford hopes to regain some momentum and finish the season strong.
The series kicks off in Colorado at 5 p.m. Thursday night.