September 14, 2005

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Palo Alto Online

Cardinal volleyball set for home opener

by Rick Eymer

After spending the first 16 days of the season on the road participating in three tournaments, and playing nine matches in three different time zones other than its own, the third-ranked Stanford women's volleyball team will finally get its first taste of competition in the renovated Maples Pavilion on Thursday at 7 p.m. against St. Mary's in the Stanford Invitational.

The Cardinal (8-1) completed its cross country journey on Saturday by defeating Creighton, 30-20, 30-22, 30-20, in the final day of the Colorado Invitational.

Stanford also beat the host Buffaloes, 30-26, 30-28, 30-24, on Thursday and Marquette, 30-16, 30-23 30-18, on Friday.

Local fans will finally get a chance to see freshmen standouts Foluke Akinradewo, who was named tournament MVP, and Cynthia Barboza, who had 19 kills and hit at a .459 clip against the Blue Jays.

Junior outside hitter Kristin Richards, who needs 15 kills for 1,000 in her career, was also named to the all-tournament team.

The Cardinal are looking to repeat as national champions for the first time since winning the NCAA crowns in 1996 and 1997. Stanford has won six national titles, all since 1992.

Junior middle blocker Liz Suiter and freshman hitter Erin Waller are expected to be at full strength when Stanford hosts the 23rd-ranked Gaels.

Suiter established herself as one of Stanford's all-time great blockers last year with 198 total blocks, second for a single season in school history. She has been nursing a sprained ankle since the beginning of the season.

Waller, prepvolleyball.com's national Player of the Year in 2004, has been dealing with an elbow problem. She made her collegiate debut in the win over Marquette.

Stanford also plays Utah State on Friday at 7 p.m., and UC Santa Barbara on Saturday at 5 p.m. as part of the Stanford Invitational.

Barboza had seven of her kills in the first game against Creighton, with Nji Nnamani adding six. The Cardinal broke it open with five straight points that snapped a 15-all tie.

Stanford hit .282 overall for the match while the Blue Jays were held to an .092 percentage.

Richards recorded a double-double with 14 kills and 12 digs against Marquette. Akinradewo added 13 kills.

Stanford met Creighton and Marquette for the first time ever, and improved to 7-0 against Colorado.

The Stanford women's volleyball program has announced that at the Stanford Invitational (Sept. 15-17) and matches against USC (Sept. 23) and UCLA (Sept. 24) at Maples Pavilion, monetary donations will be accepted and delivered to the Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund to help flood victims.

Men's water polo

Fourth-ranked Stanford travels to UC Irvine this weekend for the SouCal tournament, which brings together most of the top teams in the country and begins shaping the course of the season for the top contenders to the national title.

The Cardinal (3-0) enter the tournament after sweeping a pair of matches last weekend at Avery Aquatic Center. Stanford beat UC Santa Cruz (coached by former Castilleja coach Randy Whitchurch), 16-3, on Sunday after knocking off UC Davis, 9-7, on Saturday.

All nine teams from the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation - and their 37-7 cumulative record - are entered in the tournament.

For local fans it will also include a reunion of sorts as no less than 20 players from the area will participate in the 16-team event.

Menlo School grad Steven Wright was one of 10 players to etch themselves into the scorebook with his first goal of the season against the Banana Slugs. Thomas Hopkins and Peter Varellas each had three goals for Stanford.

Menlo School grad Jimmie Sandman was one of three goalies used by Stanford coach John Vargas. He recorded two saves in the first half.

On Saturday, Tyler Drake scored three goals in a 9-7 victory over visiting UC Davis. Hopkins and William Hindle-Katel each scored twice while Palo Alto grad Ryan Fortune also scored.

Defending national champions UCLA has three Menlo School grads in redshirt junior Grant Zider, fifth-year senior John Blanchette, and redshirt junior Thomas Foley, and two Sacred Heart Prep grads in redshirt freshman Carter Brutschy and true freshman Dylan Mobley on the roster.

Stanford has three locals in Fortune, Wright and Sandman while California carries Menlo School grads Kevin Platshon and Adam Haley.

Bucknell, the site of this year's NCAA Final Four, and UC San Diego each have a trio of locals. Palo Alto grads Lee Anderson and Trevor Mullins are joined by Menlo School grad Aaron Platshon at Bucknell. Palo Alto grad Chris Finegold, Gunn grad Sid Menon and Sacred Heart Prep's Ian Bausbach are enjoying the weather in San Diego.

Sacred Heart Prep grad Brandon Child and Gunn grad Arjan Ligtenberg are at USC, while Menlo School grad Taylor Wells is at UC Irvine.

Women's soccer

Stanford scored in the 86th minute to record a 1-1 draw with Illinois in the City by the Bay Classic at USF's Negoesco Stadium on Friday.

Leah Tapscott, with an assist from Rachel Buehler, tied the game for the Cardinal (2-2-1).

Neither team got a shot on goal in the two overtime periods. Stanford goalie Alex Gamble recorded two saves.

North Carolina shut down the Cardinal, 4-0, on Sunday. Stanford could only manage three shots, with Lizzy George the only player to put on a shot on goal.

Goalkeepers Alex Gamble and Erica Holland combined for seven saves.

Stanford faces host Tennessee in the Tennessee tournament on Friday, and will meet Texas A&M on Sunday.

Men's soccer

Stanford allowed an early goal and never recovered, dropping a 1-0 decision to Cal State Northridge on Friday in the opener of the adidas Cal Legacy Classic in Berkeley.

The Cardinal (1-2-1) came back on Sunday to beat Vanderbilt, 2-0, recording its first goals to go along with the first win of the season.

Marcus Ryan had a goal and an assist in the win. Ryan's penalty kick opened the scoring in the 33rd minute. He later fed a pass to Galen Thompson, who scored in the 55th minute.

Freshman goalie Josh Nesbit had eight saves to record his first collegiate shutout in net. Vanderbilt outshot the Cardinal 16-7.

Stanford is at Santa Clara on Friday at 7 p.m.

Field hockey

Stanford got off seven shots, from seven different players, but could not convert in falling to American University, 1-0, at the Maryland Invitational on Saturday.

The Cardinal (1-7) allowed the only goal in the match in the 44th minute as Madison Bell recorded four saves, all in the first half.

"We played really well against American," Stanford coach Lesley Irvine said. "We felt like we outplayed them, but we need to work on our finish. Our girls dominated a good majority of the game, but we didn't come out on top at the end."

Stanford had trouble with unbeaten Maryland, dropping a 6-0 decision on Sunday.

Bell, who played the first half, had seven saves and has a season total of 34. Freshman Sarah Scheller recorded three saves.

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