Sept, 15, 1997

No. 3 Stanford Downs Cal in Pac-10 Opener

BERKELEY, Calif. - The third-ranked Stanford Cardinal downed the California Golden Bears, 3-0, in the Pac-10 Conference opener for both teams Tuesday night at the RSF Fieldhouse. In sweeping the match, 15-5, 15-6, 15-3, Stanford improved to 8-2 overall, 1-0 in the Pac-10, while Cal dropped to 5-3 overall, 0-1 in the conference. It was Stanford's 29th-straight victory over the Bears, dating back to 1982.

Stanford's Paula McNamee led all players with 12 kills and 6 blocks, while All-American Kerri Walsh added 4 kills and 6 blocks for the Cardinal. For the Bears, Elena Berman and Michelle Wickman each contributed 7 kills, while Alicia Perry added five kills and 8 digs.

Stanford hit an outstanding .387 for the match, while the Bears struggled to a .115 hitting percentage. Stanford dominated play at the net, recording 11 team blocks compared to 0 blocks for the Bears, who played without their top blocker, Amanda Selby, who did not play due to a minor injury.

The Cardinal return home to host the Stanford Showcase on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 19-20. Stanford will battle Oklahoma on Friday night at 7 p.m.

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