Oct. 15, 2012

STANFORD, Calif. - Stanford middle blocker Inky Ajanaku and libero Kyle Gilbert have been named the Pac-12 women's volleyball Freshman and Defensive Players of the Week for Oct. 8-14, Commissioner Larry Scott announced today.

The Cardinal has now won 14 matches in a row and has sole possession of first place in the Pac-12 with an 8-0 record, and has defeated three top-10 teams in its last four matches.

Ajanaku averaged a team-best 3.62 kills, 4.44 points and 1.62 blocks per set while hitting .458 against the Los Angeles schools. She had a then-career high 12 kills and six blocks for a team-high .529 attack percentage in the three-set win over then-No. 6 USC. The Tulsa, Okla., native then topped her performance when she recorded a career high 17 kills and seven blocks with a .419 hitting percentage in the five-set thriller against then-No. 7 UCLA. The rookie leads the Pac-12 with a .400 hitting percentage, upping that mark to .421 in conference matches.

Gilbert anchored the Stanford defense in the wins last week. In the two matches, the Encinitas, Calif., native averaged 5.88 digs per set. With a match-high 22 digs, Gilbert helped the Cardinal hold USC to its lowest hitting percentage of the season (.085). Versus the Bruins, Gilbert led the team again with a career-high 25 digs on the night, her seventh 20-plus dig match of the season. The Cardinal was able to hold UCLA to just a .215 attack percentage. Gilbert is averaging 3.96 digs per set on the season and 4.58 digs per set in Pac-12 play.

It marks the first career weekly honors for Ajanaku and Gilbert, and brings Stanford's total to 81. Ajanaku becomes the third different Cardinal rookie to earn Freshman of the Week honors this season as setter Madi Bugg (9/10) and outside hitter Jordan Burgess (9/24) have also been recognized by the conference.

Stanford hits the road this week to conclude the first half of Pac-12 play at Washington and Washington State. The Cardinal and Huskies will battle in Seattle on Friday, Oct. 19 at 6 p.m. Stanford takes on the Cougars in Pullman, Wash., on Sunday, Oct. 21 at 11 a.m. Both matches will be televised on the Pac-12 Networks.