Here's what has changed for Stanford's Kathryn Plummer since the volleyball season began just a little more than two months ago.

She is no longer 17.

She is not at the same position she played her entire life.

She knows the feeling of being Pac-12 freshman of the week and now espnW player of the week.

Stanford (14-6) upset Washington and then defeated Washington State last weekend to improve to No. 13 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association poll and move into a tie with Oregon for third place in a heated conference race. The Huskies and UCLA are tied for first at 9-3.

Plummer paced the Cardinal with 4.67 kills per set -- 1.81 more than her season average -- 3.67 digs and 5.20 points in the two matches against the Washington schools.

"It felt so good to sweep the series, especially because I know a lot of those girls, and I've had experience with the Washington program when I was a little kid," said Plummer, former teammates with the Huskies' Crissy Jones, Bailey Tanner and Tia Scambray on the Tstreet Volleyball Club in Irvine, California. "I've played with all of them. It felt awesome last weekend."

In Stanford's second victory over Washington this season, Plummer posted her fifth double-double of the season (11 kills, 15 digs). She followed that up with 17 kills against Washington State, the most by a Cardinal in a three-set match this season and added seven digs, a solo block and an ace.

John Dunning recruited the top class in the nation in 2016, headed by Plummer, a 6-6 California Gatorade Player of the Year in 2015 who won a bronze medal last summer at the FIVB Under-19 beach world championships.

Plummer, of Aliso Viejo, California, was brought in as an opposite, allowing her to do some setting during matches. But the Cardinal's season hasn't exactly followed the plan after injuries to outside hitters Hayley Hodson, the AVCA Freshman of the Year from 2015, and freshman Michaela Keefe. An ankle sprain even left redshirt senior Inky Ajanaku sidelined for a time, leading Dunning to rethink his 6-2 offense in favor of a 5-1.

So while Plummer used to be an opposite, these days she's an outside hitter. While admittedly, she's more comfortable at her old position, she's building confidence in the new role, and it's showing in the results.

Stanford has won four of its last five and its last three victories have been sweeps.

"I know everyone has faith in me and believes I can do this," Plummer said. "The transition to passing was a big thing for me. I never passed at a high level before."

Dunning likes what he sees thus far, noting that adjusting to a new position in season is hard for any player, but for a freshman? "It's really hard, even if you're really talented," he said. "But Kathryn's a really gifted player, and she caught onto it quick. Blocking is different and defense is different. Instead of setting, she has to pass a lot. She's never really played a major role with our team as a passer. We didn't expect her to have to do it, and it's a hard job."

Being an elite beach player helped the transition, Plummer said. "When you play beach, you have to do everything. That's why I love beach so much."

Plummer said she's also grown from the gritty schedule Dunning compiled that boosts Stanford to a 7 in the latest RPI. The nonconference slate included matches against Top 25 opponents San Diego, Minnesota, Illinois, Penn State and Purdue. The Cardinal defeated the Golden Gophers, Illini and Nittany Lions and extended the Toreros and Boilermakers to five.

"We're a young team, but we complement each other really well," said Plummer, the youngest, who turned 18 on Oct. 16. "With the upperclassmen, they're humongous leaders; they've helped us through the transition where we were always the stars, to college volleyball where the pressure is higher."

Stanford faces Colorado and Utah this weekend before hosting USC and UCLA the following weekend. The ceiling is high for this team that owes much of its success to its freshmen, in particular Plummer, a two-time Pac-12 freshman of the week, Dunning said.

"She's gotten better every day we've gone on the court," he said. "She's got a good feel, and she can read. She's one of the best junior beach players in the world and she understands a lot of things. It's been a key for us, her playing as well as she has."