Ajanaku, freshmen lead Cardinal to title

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Inky Ajanaku had 18 kills, Kathryn Plummer added 16, and Stanford beat Texas 25-21, 25-19, 18-25, 25-21 on Saturday night in the NCAA women’s volleyball final.

The Cardinal (27-7) won 16 of their last 17 matches to complete an unlikely championship run with four freshman starters.

Plummer received a bump set from Kelsey Humphries and registered the winning kill off the Texas block attempt to secure the program’s seventh national title and first since 2004.

The loss marks Texas’ second consecutive NCAA runner-up finish, after it fell in three sets to Nebraska last year.

After trailing 18-16 in the second set, Stanford turned the table with a 7-0 run led by freshman Audriana Fitzmorris and Plummer, who combined for six points during the stretch.