Finalists Are No Strangers

“It’s like incest,” said Washington State coach Cindy Fredrick about tonight’s Pacific Regional finals between the Cougars and Stanford. “The two teams know each other so well.”

But the Cardinal, 1992 and 1994 NCAA Tournament champions, have won 21 of 22 meetings, including all 11 at Maples Pavilion. Stanford has won 61 of 63 matches at home and has a 46-match win streak at home.

The winner earns a berth into the Final Four next week in Cleveland. WSU beat Stanford this year in Bohler Gym for the first time to complete its perfect home season.

“There are three things we have to do,” said Fredrick. “We have to pass the ball well, we have to block well and we have to run our middles (Sarah Silvernail and Keren Oigman).

“If we do that, we’ll be OK.”

Stanford’s Kristin Folkl said her team needs to stay focused. “Obviously, they’re an excellent team. We just need to respect them. And because of the loss up in Pullman, we do.”

, DataTimes