Aug, 24, 1997

Penn St. Claims State Farm/NACWAA Title

Penn State defeated top-ranked Stanford 3-0 (15-8, 15-13, 15-9) to capture the 1997 State Farm/NACWAA Women's Volleyball Classic at Stanford University. The win snapped Stanford's 50-match home court win streak, dating back to November 19, 1993, a 3-2 loss to top ranked UCLA. The win also ended Stanford's 15-match win streak overall.

Penn State, ranked second in the country, jumped out to a 2-0 lead behind junior Christy Cochran's 11 kills and six digs. The Nittany Lions never trailed in the first two games. Tied 9-9 in the third game, a see-saw battle which saw six ties, Penn State took charge ran off six unanswered points for a 15-9 win and a three-game sweep. It was the first three-game sweep of Stanford since October 22, 1993, a 3-0 loss to then-17th-ranked Arizona State.

Four Nittany Lions posted double-digits in kills, led by Cochran's 18. Sophomore Bonnie Bremner turned in a stellar 54 assist, nine kill and eight dig performance en route to tournament MVP honors. Stanford's Kristin Folkl led all players with 19 kills.

In the consolation match of the tournament, #8 BYU downed #13 Texas A&M in straight games 15-5, 15-8, 15-10.

1997 State Farm/NACWAA All-Tournament Team
Bonnie Bremner, Penn State (MVP)
Kristin Folkl, Stanford
Terri Zemaitis, Penn State
Amy Steele Gant, BYU
Christy Cochran, Penn State
Stacey Sykora, Texas A&M
Anna-Lena Smith, BYU

Stanford University Women's Volleyball