The last time Marquette women’s volleyball (1-0) and Stanford (3-0) faced off, Eminem’s ‘Love the Way You Lie’ was the number one song in the United States.
That was 14 years ago.
Tonight, the Golden Eagles and Cardinal are set to clash for just the third time ever at the Al McGuire Center.
After going 0-7 against ranked teams last season in non-conference play, Marquette is hoping to reverse that trend in a big way this season, starting with a top-five win in its home opener.
“I hope our gym is rocking,” head coach Ryan Theis said after the Golden Eagles’ sweep over Eastern Illinois Friday night. “I look forward to some high level volleyball.”
What to know about Stanford
After a trip to the Elite Eight last season, the Cardinal have big expectations for the 2024 season.
Having beat No. 18 Minnesota and No. 6 Wisconsin in the State Farm Women’s College Volleyball Showcase over the weekend, Stanford is just one win away from finishing its trip to Milwaukee undefeated. If it is able to do so, it will arguably be headed back to Palo Alto with the best resume in the country.
The Cardinal’s offense is headlined by outside hitter Elia Rubin. The 6-foot-1 junior has racked up 53 kills in the Stanford’s three games this season, hitting a staggering .327 in the process.
Aside from Rubin, the Cardinal have four more players (Ipar Kurt, Sami Francis, Jordyn Harvey and Lizzy Andrew) with 20 kills or more already.
Keys to the game
Marquette: Tempo. Stanford has three players who are listed as 6-foot-4 or taller, while Marquette has just one. If the Golden Eagles want are pull off an upset, it will not be because they won the battle at the net. Marquette has traditionally played fast under Theis, but it is going to have to ramp up the tempo even more Wednesday night. Libero play will also factor heavily into the result as well. Whether it’s Molly Berezowitz or Adriana Studer, whoever is suited up in the off-colored jersey for the Golden Eagles is going to have to play a near-perfect match in order for Marquette to win.
Stanford: Limit attack errors. Through their first three matches, the Cardinal have commited 56 attack errors to their opponents 35. Stanford has as talented of an attack as anyone in the country, but if it continues to commit attack errors at the rate it has been, it will have a difficult time dealing with not only Marquette, but also the rambunctious crowd that is expected to be on hand at the Al. Defensively, keeping outsider hitter Aubrey Hamilton and middle blocker Hattie Bray in check is going to be crucial for the Cardinal. If they are able to limit Marquette’s best offensive threats, it’s hard to imagine Stanford losing this game.
How to follow
- Watch: Big East Digital Network through FloSports. The first serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. CST.
- Listen: Trevor Hilson and Gabe Sisarica on Marquette University Radio.
- Live Updates: Follow @JackAlbrightMU and @MUWireSports on Twitter/X
This story was written by Matthew Baltz. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter/X @MatthewBaltzMU.
