Stanford,
Calif. ? Junior middle blocker Janet Okogbaa was one of three players
to finish with 12 kills, while also recording a match-high five total
blocks to lead second-ranked Stanford to a 3-0 win over UAlbany in the
first round of the NCAA Division I Volleyball Tournament at Maples
Pavilion on Friday evening. The Cardinal won in straight sets with
scores of 25-9, 25-11 and 25-21.
Stanford
made quick work of the first set, rattling off five straight points
behind the service game of senior middle blocker Foluke Akinradewo to
get ahead, 12-4. After UAlbany’s Amanda Cowdrey stopped the rally with
a kill down the middle, the Cardinal embarked on a four-point run to
build a 16-5 margin. Stanford continued posting runs throughout the
set, never allowing UAlbany to gain more than one point at a time. A
Great Dane service error ended the first set in Stanford’s favor.
UAlbany
opened up the second set, taking a 3-1 advantage on back-to-back
blocks. Sophomore Teresa Coppiellie recorded a solo block on a Stanford
attack, while Kalyn Mostert and Hillary White combined to shut down a
second Cardinal attack. Stanford committed a handling error to give the
Great Danes the two-point advantage early. However, the Cardinal
recorded five straight points, with Erin Waller and Okogbaa combining
to stop a UAlbany attack with a block to put Stanford ahead, 6-3.
The
Cardinal would build up a 17-8 advantage before recording a service
error. Senior middle blocker Kamisha Kellam recorded a kill to pull
within 17-10, but Stanford embarked on another five-point run to put
UAlbany down 22-10 before Coppiellie ended the run with a kill. Okogbaa
and Waller recorded back-to-back kills to end the set for Stanford.
After
the intermission, UAlbany returned to the court and didn’t allow
Stanford to get ahead more than three points through the beginning of
the set. Setter Brooke Stanley and Coppiellie recorded consecutive
kills to tie the set at 5-5. The Cardinal gained a three-point
advantage at 10-7 on an Alix Klineman kill before Kellam pulled the
Great Danes within 12-9 with a kill of her own. Stanford then recorded
five straight kills, including three from Akinradewo. A Cardinal attack
error put the ball back in UAlbany’s hands, and the teams played error
free until a match point attempt at 24-21, with every point being
decided by a kill or block by both teams.
Kellam
recorded the final three kills for the Great Danes, pulling UAlbany
within 20-24 on match point. A Stanford attack error gave UAlbany
another chance to come back for the set win, but Akinradewo recorded
one of her 12 kills to seal the win for Stanford and advance the
Cardinal to the second round of tournament play.
Kellam finished with seven kills and two blocks for the Great Danes, while Coppiellie added six kills. Stanley
tallied 21 assists and Cowdrey finished with nine digs and four kills.
Klineman was the third player for the Cardinal to post 12 kills, while
also notching a team-high 13 digs for a double-double. Okogbaa hit .647
in the match, while sophomore setter Cassidy Lichtman finished with 38
assists.
UAlbany wraps up its season with a 23-9 overall record. Stanford (27-3) advances to play Long Beach State, which defeated Pepperdine, 3-1, earlier in the day.