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GAME, MATCH AND CHAMPIONSHIP
Women’s Volleyball wins the national title, again

By Harry Press

omination ­ powerful, brilliant domination. That’s the closest way to define Stanford women’s volleyball performance.

No other university ever has won four Division I volleyball championships (1992, 1994, 1996, 1997). And not since 1991 had any school won back-to-back crowns, as Stanford did in 1996 and 1997. Stanford is one of only four teams making all 17 NCAA post-season tournaments, and it holds the all-time record for most tournament wins with 49.

Beating Penn State for this year’s NCAA championship was sweeter because it was against Penn that, early in the year, Stanford had its only two losses, when three key players were slowed by injury.

The Final Four title didn’t come easily. In fact, it was everything a national championship should be: The match went to an all-out five games before Stanford could claim victory with three straight Kristin Folkl kills. The scores were 15-10, 15-6, 2-15, 15-17 and 15-9.

Unlike other seasons, this time Stanford didn’t have to face potential disaster. Since Sept. 10, the team had won 28 straight matches. In the championship match, things suddenly got tough. Penn State blew Stanford away 2-15 in the third game and went on to win the fourth game in a neck and neck all the way for 44 minutes. The Cardinal players then “looked at each other,” Folkl said, “and realized that that’s not the volleyball Stanford plays and that we can play a lot better.”

And they did it. Three straight booming kills by Folkl fittingly brought home game, match and championship.

“This win by far is the best championship I’ve ever been in,” said Folkl after

Women’s Volleyball (Plain text)

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