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COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Stanford coach John Dunning expected big things from his latest recruiting class.Just maybe not this soon.Inky Ajanaku had 18 kills, Kathryn Plummer added 16 and Stanford -- led by four freshman starters -- beat Texas 25-21, 25-19, 18-25, 25-21 on Saturday night in the NCAA womens volleyball final.The Cardinal (27-7) won 16 of their last 17 matches to complete an unlikely championship run with four freshman starters -- Plummer, Audriana Fitzmorris, Jenna Gray and Morgan Hentz.You know, its overwhelming, coach John Dunning said. You put so much into this, and this is just a group thats just fun to be with. And I love being around them.The Cardinal have the most losses of any championship team in Division I womens volleyball history. Ajanaku, the tournaments Most Outstanding Player, leaves Stanford as a champion just a year following a devastating right knee injury that sidelined her for the entire 2015 season.Stanford began the season 10-5 overall and 4-3 in the Pac-12. Then Dunning moved senior Kelsey Humphreys to defensive specialist and handed the setting duties to Gray. The Cardinal were the hottest team in volleyball from that point on.After losing the third set, Stanford jumped out to a 6-0 lead and continued to dominate the net. Plummer received a bump set from Humphreys and registered the winning kill off of the Texas block to secure the programs first national title since 2004.Humphreys mom played in four Final Fours for Stanford but never was able to claim the championship.When we won two days ago she said, `Bring one home for the family, Humphreys said. To be able to share the Stanford experience with her is something I cant put into words.The loss marks Texas second consecutive NCAA runner-up finish, after losing in three sets to Nebraska last year. Micaya White had 17 kills, and Ebony Nwanebu 16.Paulina Prieto-Cerame had 12 kills in the semifinal against Nebraska, but struggled mightily in the final against Stanfords top-rated block. Prieto-Cerame had just two kills and eight hitting errors before being taken out of the match.Our first touches werent as good as we had hoped, but I think early on that game our setting location was really off, coach Jerritt Elliott said. And so I think her first five or six swings were pretty difficult swings, and I think it just got in her head then and she just kind of struggled from that point on.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. The Cardinal won two of the next three points to close the set.Jenna Gray had 51 assists and Morgan Hentz had 27 digs in the winning effort.Stanford had a .277 hitting percentage to Texas .217.Texas finished 27-5.Rocky Bleier Youth Jersey . James, who turned 29 on Monday, injured his groin Friday during the Heats overtime loss at Sacramento. He sat out the following game, a 108-107 win Saturday in Portland, before coming back to help send the Nuggets to their seventh consecutive loss. Rocky Bleier Jersey . Brad Jacobs and his Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., team took control of the game early. http://www.steelerspronfl.com/Youth-Mel-Blount-Elite-Jersey/ . Shot outdoors against the stunning backdrop of Banff, Alta., the networks 30-minute original production airs tonight at 8pm et/5pm pt on TSN2. The four All-Star teams will play for $100,000 in prize money during TSNs annual skins game, airing live this weekend on TSN from The Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre. Alejandro Villanueva Steelers Jersey . Note: The Calgary Flames announced Tuesday that Sean Monahan would not be made available to Canadas World Junior team. L.C. Greenwood Jersey .C. -- Chris Thorburn thinks one of the reasons the Winnipeg Jets have been successful under new coach Paul Maurice is that theyre playing together as a team.DAYTON, Ohio -- Mark Alstork hit a jump shot in the paint and made a free throw in the last 19 seconds to secure Wright States 89-87 win over Miami (Ohio) on Tuesday night.Miamis Michael Weathers, who had 14 points, made four straight free throws to give the Redhawks an 82-80 lead with 2:24 left. Alstork responded with two free throws and a jumper to retake the lead 84-82 with 1:31 remaining. Weathers drove for a layup to tie the game for the 11th time. Alstork answered with two free thhrows and the jumper in the paint to take the lead for good.ddddddddddddAlstork finished with 29 points and had nine points in the final 2:55. He pulled down 10 rebounds and dished out eight assists.Steven Davis added 16 points and Justin Mitchell chipped in 14 for Wright State (2-0).Rod Mills Jr. and Jake Wright led the Redhawks (1-1) with 17 points apiece. ' ' '