Cardinal Has Too Much Firepower for Trojans

USC senior Meika Wagner sighed and thought about the last match of her college career Friday night. It was her last match because the second-ranked Stanford Cardinal had swept USC out of the NCAA volleyball West Regional.

“Games 1 and 2 could have gone either way,” Wagner said after USC’s season ended by the scores of 15-13, 15-13, 15-6 before 3,534 at Maples Pavilion. “Our team just shot itself in the foot.

“Give credit to Stanford, but we can hit and swing with anybody out there. We just didn’t execute.”

It was the first appearance in a regional final for USC since 1988.

“I’m disappointed by the loss, but I’m awfully proud of USC this year,” Coach Lisa Love said. “Stanford had a lot of firepower, and it won out in the end.”

Stanford (30-1) advanced to the final four in Austin, Tex., and plays Ohio State or Long Beach State on Thursday.

After USC (22-8) tied the first game, 13-13, the teams played through eight sideouts before Stanford scored on a kill by Cary Wendell. On the next play, Wagner was whistled for a lift violation, which secured the first game for Stanford.

The second game was also tied, 13-13, but three consecutive kills from Marnie Triefenbach ended the game in a blur.

Kristin Folkl, the national freshman of the year, made the big plays in the third game.

Stanford, which has won 18 in a row over USC at Maples, got a match-high 24 kills from Folkl.