Three Stanford athletes — Ryan Walker-Hartshorn, Merete Lutz and Drew Holland — earned conference honors on Monday after leading their respective teams to multiple victories during the weekend.
Walker-Hartshorn was named as the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week in women’s soccer after earning her second hat trick of the season, in Friday’s 4-1 victory over Washington.
Walker-Hartshorn scored three goals within 22 minutes, bridging the first and second halves, to boost Stanford to a 3-1 lead. Her second and third goals were consecutive and put the Cardinal ahead for good.
The Oakland native became the first Stanford player since Kelley O’Hara in 2009 and the fourth overall to earn two hat tricks in one season. Walker-Hartshorn, who also started in Stanford’s 1-0 victory over unbeaten Washington State on Sunday, has a team-high eight goals.
On Sept. 14, she scored her first collegiate hat trick in an 8-0 victory over Dayton. Only Sarah Rafanelli in 1990, Erin Martin in 1993, and current U.S. national teamer O’Hara have earned two hat tricks in a single season for the Cardinal.
Walker-Hartshorn and her Cardinal teammates will next be in action on Thursday (8 p.m.) in a showdown between Pac-12 co-leaders Stanford and UCLA, in a match televised by the Pac-12 Networks.
Women’s volleyball
Stanford middle blocker Merete Lutz has been named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week.
Lutz recorded 24 kills on 36 attempts with just one error in two wins previously undefeated and 11th-ranked Oregon and Oregon State. She averaged 3.42 kills and 3.71 points per set while hitting .639 in the two matches.
The Houston, Texas native led the team in the 3-1 win over the Ducks, recording 13 kills on 22 errorless swings to go with two assists and four blocks. Against the Beavers, she posted a career-high .714 hitting percentage, putting down 11 kills on 14 attempts with one error.
The nation’s leader in hitting percentage last week, Lutz improved her season average to .551 this week, which is also tops in the Pac-12. Stanford is off to its best start since 2010 when it also won its first 14 matches of the year.
It marks the first weekly honor for Lutz and the eighth freshman of the week accolade for the Cardinal all-time.
No. 1 Stanford heads to the desert this week to take on No. 16 Arizona on Friday at 8 p.m. and No. 18 Arizona State on Sunday, at 11 a.m. Both matches will be televised on the Pac-12 Networks.
Men’s water polo
Stanford sophomore goalkeeper Drew Holland was named MPSF/Kap7 Player of the Week on Monday for his performances in the Cardinal’s weekend victories against No. 9 UC Irvine and No. 11 UC Davis.
The Miramonte High School product tallied a career-high 17 saves in Stanford’s MPSF opener on Saturday, a 12-6 win over No. 9 UC Irvine at Avery Aquatic Center. Holland’s six goals allowed were nearly nine under the Anteater scoring average. He and the Cardinal defense turned away each of MPSF scoring leader Lovre Milos’ (58 goals, 4.46 GPG) five shot attempts, including an early penalty shot.
The next day, Holland picked up eight saves and allowed just five goals in a 17-5 victory at No. 11 UC Davis. For the week, he totaled 25 saves (12.50 SPG) and allowed 11 goals (5.50 GPG). This is Holland’s second career player of the week honor (Oct. 21, 2013).
Men’s golf
Stanford sophomore Maverick McNealy shot a second-round score of 4-under 66 to jump into third place at the Nike Golf Collegiate Invitational on Monday in Ft. Worth, Texas.
McNealy opened the day with a 1-over 71 at Colonial Country Club and then responded with the second-best score of the day. Leader Thomas Lim of Oregon shot rounds of 66 and 65.
Cardinal David Boote was consistent with rounds of 72 and 71 for a 3-over 143, which puts him in a three-way tie for 10th.
Stanford is fifth as a team, shooting 293 in the morning and 281 in the afternoon for a total of 574, six strokes behind leader Oregon.
By Stanford Athletics
By Stanford Athletics
By Stanford Athletics