December 07, 2005

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Palo Alto Online

A tough end to the year

by Rick Eymer

Stanford women's volleyball coach John Dunning could have said any number of things to his team following its 23-30, 30-19, 30-27, 31-29 loss to Santa Clara in the second round of the NCAA tournament on Saturday night.

"How do you explain showing heart, showing pride," he asked the gathered media. "When you are in this program expectations are very high. If the only measure you go by is to get to the final match, that's too much. There is nothing I can say right now that will help the 12 girls crying in the locker room."

Stanford junior outside hitter Kristin Richards was next to Dunning, leaning back in her chair with eyes closed, allowing tears to trickle down her cheeks. Being there was probably the last place she wanted to be, and when she did speak it was barely above a whisper.

"What our team went through, I'm proud of everything we got out of this season," she said. "Obviously I'm still disappointed. We do have next year to look forward to; that's something."

Dunning made several statements about working through the adversity of one of the toughest seasons at Stanford, how the effort was still there and how this team would be better for the experience. Those are likely words for another day. On Saturday night, fifth-ranked Stanford could not be comforted.

It was Stanford's first loss in 24 matches against the 15th-ranked Broncos, who advance to the round of 16 for the first time in school history. Santa Clara returns to Stanford on Friday night to meet WCC rival Pepperdine in one regional semifinal. Arizona and Ohio meet in the other semifinal, also at Maples Pavilion.

"We've worked so hard every year and we've unfortunately lost in the first round my last three years," Santa Clara senior and Woodside Priory grad Cassie Perret. "I'm so proud of my team and I absolutely think we deserve it."

The Broncos don't appear to be finished either.

"We want to go all the way," said Perret, who recorded 10 kills and was one of five Broncos to reach double figures in kills.

"The first game was a little shaky but the second game we picked it up," Perret said. "We went right in with that momentum and playing with confidence. When we left the locker room (for the third game) we were focused. We didn't let any setbacks get to us and we rode that game two win all the way."

While Santa Clara makes preparations for its next match, Stanford will begin working on next season.

Perhaps Richards and her teammates will take a look at the history of Cardinal volleyball and realize that losing in the second round - Stanford has never lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament - has happened before and has been a building block to ultimate success.

Stanford reached the championship match of the 1999 tournament, and then fell in the second round of the 2000 tournament. The Cardinal won the national title in 2001.

Stanford was also the defending national champion when it lost in the second round of the 1993 tournament. The Cardinal rebounded with a national title in 1994.

Champions don't allow setbacks to destroy them, instead turning them into strengths. Stanford has already shown its championship heart, and seven of those players (who participated on last year's NCAA title team) will return next year, probably determined to make things right again.

Stanford says goodbye to seniors Courtney Schultz and Katie Goldhahn after the school year but the program will also be greeting two of top high school players in the nation. The Cardinal should also be healthier. Freshman Cynthia Barboza, who joined her teammates - hobbling but no longer on crutches - for player introductions. She'll be back along with Menlo School grad Alex Fisher, who missed her freshman year with an injury.

Middle blocker Lizzie Suiter, bothered by injuries much of the year, and setter Bryn Kehoe, who suffered a broken bone in her right hand, should also return healthier.

This is a team that doesn't need to rebuild.

"At the start of the season we were talented enough to do whatever we wanted," Dunning said. "But a big part of volleyball is playing together better and better. With as few reps as we had with this lineup, I thought we did well. We've been through a lot this year and we didn't play our best, but Santa Clara had something to do with that. It's been crazy but we've been very resilient."

Richards had 23 kills against the Broncos while Pac-10 Freshman of the Year Foluke Akinradewo had 15 kills and hit at a .406 clip. Junior Nji Nnamani had 10 kills.

"When Cynthia went down, Kristin stepped up and played better than she ever has before," Dunning said. "Kristin is the reason we got to this point. I thought we had a good effort. It's tough when your season ends."

With each ending, there's also a beginning. Outside hitter Janet Okogbaa, who signed a letter-of-intent with Stanford in November, played with Kehoe and Akinradewo at the World Junior Championships in Turkey over the summer. Setter Joanna Evans, who will also join the Cardinal next year, has been in the United States Junior National team program for several years.

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