Box Score

STANFORD, Calif. – Behind a career-high 21 kills from junior middle blocker Inky Ajanaku, the top-ranked Stanford women's volleyball team defeated No. 20 Duke in four sets (25-11, 27-25, 23-25, 25-15), Friday, at Maples Pavilion in Stanford, Calif. The Cardinal move to 5-0 to start the season for the first time since 2011, while the Blue Devils drop to 5-2.

Ajanaku, a human biology major from Tulsa, Okla., finished with a season-best .576 hitting percentage to go with a match-high six blocks. Redshirt freshman middle blocker Merete Lutz, who made her first career start, also had a strong outing against the Blue Devils, registering a career high 13 kills on a .571 attack percentage.

Junior setter Madi Bugg directed the Cardinal offense to a season-best .401 team hitting percentage. A political science major from Apex, N.C., Bugg racked up season highs of 54 assists and 15 digs for her third double-double of the year. Senior libero Kyle Gilbert anchored the defense with a team-best 16 digs.

Senior opposite Morgan Boukather tied her season high with a .417 hitting percentage, recording 12 kills on 24 swings with just two errors. She also posted a seson-best five blocks. Junior outside hitter Jordan Burgess added 10 kills and 13 digs for her team high fifth double-double of the year.

Junior middle Megan McGehee came off the bench to serve tough for the Cardinal, tallying two aces. Defensive specialist Sarah Benjamin had a season high four digs to go with her first career kill and assist. Sophomore setter Kelsey Humphreys made her season debut, serving an ace in her first attempt, while redshirt freshman Ivana Vanjak made her collegiate debut.

Stanford outhit Duke .401 to .223 and collected 11.0 team blocks to just 6.0 by the Blue Devils. Duke was led offensively by senior outside hitter Jeme Obeime's 17 kills, while San Jose, Calif., native Emily Sklar added 13 kills and 10 digs.

The Cardinal closes out the Stanford Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 13 with a double-header. Stanford hosts Penn at 11 a.m. PT before taking on Santa Clara at 7 p.m. in Maples Pavilion.