North Carolina State University Athletics
Pack Falls to Winthrop in Intense Home Opener, 3-1
9/1/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
BOX SCORE
Raleigh, N.C. - The NC State volleyball team dropped its home opener against Winthrop, 3-1, on Friday, Sept. 1, in the Pack’s first match at the Wolfpack Classic. In front of a raucous crowd, NC State took the first game before the Eagles rattled off three-straight to collect the match. The Pack slides to 0-4 with the loss, while the Eagles advance to 3-1.
NC State collected the first game 27-30, before falling 30-24 in the second, 30-9 in the third and 31-29 in the fourth.
The red and white got off to a great start in game one, collecting the first two points on a kill by Keshia Raibon, followed by a block from Jessica Williams and Aiwane Iboaya. From that point on the match was evenly played, as both teams stayed in contention and rebounded from short runs by the opposition. With the Pack up 24-29 and serving for match point, Winthrop rattled off three-straight points to make things interesting at 27-29. With the Eagles serving, both teams volleyed back and forth before the Pack collected the game point on an attack error by Winthrop’s Emily Stockton.
Youth took its toll on NC State in the second and third games, as Winthrop took advantage of the Pack’s errors. After taking game two 30-24, the Eagles flew to a 17-2 start in the third frame before winning 30-9.
Kelley Blakewood started off a three-point rally by the Pack to open game four, but the Eagles quickly woke up and mounted a 7-4 advantage. With Winthrop up 24-19, NC State found itself immersed in another hot streak, clawing its way to a 27-29 lead. The Eagles, however, remained solid and collected four consecutive points to end the game and the match.
“I’m very proud of my team,” said head coach Charita J. Stubbs. “After the third game, they could have folded, but they didn’t. We have a very young team and it’s going to take time for them to get adjusted.
“The thing I like about the team right now is that we are headed in the right direction. We are already better than we were at this point last week, and that’s how these things are supposed to happen.”
The red and white will return to the courts tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 2, in the final day of the Wolfpack Classic at historic Reynolds Coliseum on the NC State campus. The Pack will take on the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga at 12 p.m., before wrapping up play against Northern Colorado at 7 p.m.
