Post by bigfan on Sept 21, 2006 15:55:28 GMT -5
Volleyball sweeps way to 9-1 preseason
No. 7 Cardinal lose just three games entering Pac-10 play, avenge postseason loss to Santa Clara
After seeing the 2005 season come to a disappointingly early end in the NCAA tournament, the No. 7 women’s volleyball team is back in action and looking as good as ever.
Senior All American Kristen Richards helped the Cardinal to a 9-1 record entering Pac-10 play. The Cardinal earned sweeps in every one of their nine victories, dropping just three games through the first ten matches.
Although a spate of injuries hampered the Cardinal down the stretch last year, Stanford’s players return fit and healthy this fall, with 12 of the 14 players on the roster getting on the court in the preseason. Only red-shirt freshman Alex Fisher, who sat out last season after knee surgery, and senior middle blocker Lizzie Suiter have not yet played. Suiter, who endured ankle and eye injuries as a junior, is now dealing with back trouble.
Stanford (9-1) shook off the memories of their early exit in December and got the 2006 season off to a good start with a home sweep of UC-Santa Barbara, but was upset in its second match by Brigham Young. The Cougars took the four-game win from the Cardinal in Utah and went from being unranked to the No. 16 spot into the national polls as a result.
Stanford rebounded from the surprising loss to finish the BYU Tournament with a pair of sweeps over Virginia Commonwealth and Texas A&M — Corpus Christi to improve to 3-1 on the season.
The phenomenal sophomore duo of middle blocker Foluke Akinradewo and outside hitter Cynthia Barboza garnered All-Tournament honors in Utah. Akinradewo was the Pacific-10 Conference Freshman of the Year in 2005 and a Second-Team All-American. She leads the Cardinal with a .440 hitting percentage and 43 blocks. Barboza is fully recovered from the ACL tear that ended her stellar freshman campaign last October and has notched a team-high 125 kills in 2006.
Except for the upset in Utah, the Cardinal rolled through the preseason and are riding eight straight wins, all three-game sweeps, into conference play. The Cardinal followed the victories in Utah with wins against Northwestern and Fairfield at the Waikiki Beach Marriott Challenge. In the marquee match of that tournament, Stanford took the tournament championship with a sweep of then No. 9 Hawaii.
Hawaii had three top players on the bench for most of the match with injuries, including its three-time All-American setter, Kanoe Kamana`o, and Stanford handed the Rainbow Wahine their most lopsided loss since the rally scoring system was adopted, winning the first game 30-10. The next two were more competitive, but the Cardinal still managed the sweep - 30-10, 30-22, 30-24.
Barboza was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament and Pac-10 Player of the Week for her outstanding hitting through the weekend. She tallied 46 kills through three matches with only two hitting errors and her four aces against Hawaii were a career high. Akinradewo joined Barboza on the All-Tournament team as did senior outside hitter and All-American Kristin Richards. Richards is third on the team with 102 kills and fourth with 84 digs.
The Cardinal rode the high of the victory over Hawaii into Thursday’s match against No. 8 Santa Clara as part of the Stanford Invitational and came away with yet another sweep. The Broncos knocked Stanford out of the NCAA Tournament in the second round last year in Maples but could not repeat the upset. Although Stanford had only a single-point advantage in the national polling (No. 7 and No. 8 with 1,101 and 1,100 points, respectively), the three-game win looked easy with a 30-14 score in the second frame.
Stanford closed out the home tournament with wins over Georgetown and Saint Mary’s to finish the preseason with a 9-1 record and an eight-match winning streak.
Barboza and junior setter Bryn Kehoe (11.48 assists per game, 3.26 digs per game) were named Co-Most Outstanding Players of the Stanford Invitational and Akinradewo was named All-Tournament as well. Richards and Akinradewo took the day off against the Hoyas, but the team still won in convincing fashion without them.
The Cardinal will start the Pac-10 season on the road this Thursday and Friday, visiting Washington State and No. 3 Washington, the defending national champions.
No. 7 Cardinal lose just three games entering Pac-10 play, avenge postseason loss to Santa Clara
After seeing the 2005 season come to a disappointingly early end in the NCAA tournament, the No. 7 women’s volleyball team is back in action and looking as good as ever.
Senior All American Kristen Richards helped the Cardinal to a 9-1 record entering Pac-10 play. The Cardinal earned sweeps in every one of their nine victories, dropping just three games through the first ten matches.
Although a spate of injuries hampered the Cardinal down the stretch last year, Stanford’s players return fit and healthy this fall, with 12 of the 14 players on the roster getting on the court in the preseason. Only red-shirt freshman Alex Fisher, who sat out last season after knee surgery, and senior middle blocker Lizzie Suiter have not yet played. Suiter, who endured ankle and eye injuries as a junior, is now dealing with back trouble.
Stanford (9-1) shook off the memories of their early exit in December and got the 2006 season off to a good start with a home sweep of UC-Santa Barbara, but was upset in its second match by Brigham Young. The Cougars took the four-game win from the Cardinal in Utah and went from being unranked to the No. 16 spot into the national polls as a result.
Stanford rebounded from the surprising loss to finish the BYU Tournament with a pair of sweeps over Virginia Commonwealth and Texas A&M — Corpus Christi to improve to 3-1 on the season.
The phenomenal sophomore duo of middle blocker Foluke Akinradewo and outside hitter Cynthia Barboza garnered All-Tournament honors in Utah. Akinradewo was the Pacific-10 Conference Freshman of the Year in 2005 and a Second-Team All-American. She leads the Cardinal with a .440 hitting percentage and 43 blocks. Barboza is fully recovered from the ACL tear that ended her stellar freshman campaign last October and has notched a team-high 125 kills in 2006.
Except for the upset in Utah, the Cardinal rolled through the preseason and are riding eight straight wins, all three-game sweeps, into conference play. The Cardinal followed the victories in Utah with wins against Northwestern and Fairfield at the Waikiki Beach Marriott Challenge. In the marquee match of that tournament, Stanford took the tournament championship with a sweep of then No. 9 Hawaii.
Hawaii had three top players on the bench for most of the match with injuries, including its three-time All-American setter, Kanoe Kamana`o, and Stanford handed the Rainbow Wahine their most lopsided loss since the rally scoring system was adopted, winning the first game 30-10. The next two were more competitive, but the Cardinal still managed the sweep - 30-10, 30-22, 30-24.
Barboza was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament and Pac-10 Player of the Week for her outstanding hitting through the weekend. She tallied 46 kills through three matches with only two hitting errors and her four aces against Hawaii were a career high. Akinradewo joined Barboza on the All-Tournament team as did senior outside hitter and All-American Kristin Richards. Richards is third on the team with 102 kills and fourth with 84 digs.
The Cardinal rode the high of the victory over Hawaii into Thursday’s match against No. 8 Santa Clara as part of the Stanford Invitational and came away with yet another sweep. The Broncos knocked Stanford out of the NCAA Tournament in the second round last year in Maples but could not repeat the upset. Although Stanford had only a single-point advantage in the national polling (No. 7 and No. 8 with 1,101 and 1,100 points, respectively), the three-game win looked easy with a 30-14 score in the second frame.
Stanford closed out the home tournament with wins over Georgetown and Saint Mary’s to finish the preseason with a 9-1 record and an eight-match winning streak.
Barboza and junior setter Bryn Kehoe (11.48 assists per game, 3.26 digs per game) were named Co-Most Outstanding Players of the Stanford Invitational and Akinradewo was named All-Tournament as well. Richards and Akinradewo took the day off against the Hoyas, but the team still won in convincing fashion without them.
The Cardinal will start the Pac-10 season on the road this Thursday and Friday, visiting Washington State and No. 3 Washington, the defending national champions.