STANFORD, Calif. – For the second straight match, the No. 2 Stanford women’s volleyball team was pushed to a five-set, topping No. 9 Illinois (25-22, 19-25, 20-25, 25-22, 15-12), Sunday, in the conclusion of the Pac-12/Big Ten Challenge at Maples Pavilion in Stanford, Calif. The Cardinal move to 4-0, while the Fighting Illini drop to 3-2.
After falling behind 2-1 in the match, the Cardinal dug deep to come back and steal the win. Redshirt freshman middle blocker Merete Lutz was the difference in the fourth, registering four kills and five blocks in that set alone. She finished with season highs nine kills on a .571 hitting percentage and six blocks.
Junior middle blocker Inky Ajanaku, the tournament MVP, finished one kill shy of her career high with 16 on a .500 hitting percentage and six blocks. Junior outside hitter Jordan Burgess added 13 kills and a season-best 18 digs, while senior opposite Morgan Boukather finished with 10 kills and 11 digs for her third straight double-double. Junior outside hitter Brittany Howard totaled eight kills, eight digs, for blocks and a career high five assists.
Junior setter Madi Bugg recorded a season high 51 assists to go with 13 digs, six kills and three blocks for her second double-double of the year. Senior libero Kyle Gilbert hit the 20-dig mark for the first time this season. Both player earned all-tournament honors.
Illinois was led by senior Liz McMahon, an all-tournament selection, who tallied a match-high 19 kills. Senior Morganne Criswell and redshirt junior Jocelynn Birks added 16 kills apiece for the Fighting Illini. Freshman libero Brandi Donnelly racked up a match-best 26 digs.
Joining Ajanaku, Bugg, Gilbert and McMahon on the all-tournament team were UCLA’s Karsta Lowe and Penn State’s Ali Frantti and Dominique Gonzalez.
The Cardinal remains on The Farm next week, hosting the Stanford Invitational Sept. 12-13. Up first, the Cardinal faces No. 19 Duke on Friday at 7 p.m.