North Carolina State University Athletics
NC State
12-3, 1-2ACC
Virginia Tech
8-8, 1-2ACC
Wolfpack Volleyball Falls at Virginia Tech, 3-1
10/4/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
BLACKSBURG, Va. - The NC State women's volleyball team suffered its second loss in Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) play, as the Wolfpack dropped a 3-1 (25-20, 25-27, 25-14, 25-19) decision against the Virginia Tech Hokies on Saturday in Cassell Coliseum.
State falls to 12-3 on the season and 1-2 in conference play, while Tech improves to 8-8 and 1-2 in ACC action. Saturday's loss was only the third of the season for NC State and it was also the first time the Wolfpack has lost consecutive matches this season.
It was also the first match that the Pack has lost in which it did not lead the match. In the Wolfpack's other two losses, it lead 2-0 in the match before losing 3-2.
Match Rewind
- The Wolfpack struggled to get into rhythm, offensively or defensively, as the Hokies were able to limit the Pack's effectiveness.
- Virginia Tech finished the match with a team hitting percentage of .257, while State hit just .146.
- NC State tied its season high as a team with 14 blocks in the contest, the most in any four-set match this season.
- In the first set, State fell behind early but battled back to trim the deficit to 19-18 before Virginia Tech closed out the set on a 5-2 run to win it, 25-20.
- The second set was tightly contested as there were seven ties and three lead changes. NC State jumped out to a 9-4 lead in the frame and led for most of the set, but Tech tied the score at 23. After a Wolfpack timeout, the Pack ended the set by winning four of the next six points.
- Senior Rachel Buckley and freshman Kaitlyn Kearney each had five kills in the frame.
- The Virginia Tech offense caught fire in the third set, as the Hokies won it, 25-14, and recorded a .407 hitting percentage in the set.
- In the fourth set, freshman Julia Brown made her presence felt with four kills in the frame, but Tech emerged victorious, 25-19.
Key Performers
- Senior Rachel Buckley led the Wolfpack's offensive attack with 13, while classmate Dariyan Hopper chipped in with 12.
- At the setter position, sophomore Maggie Speaks notched her fifth double-double of the season as she collected 34 assists to go along with 13 digs, seven kills and three blocks.
- Speaks' dig total paced the squad in that category, but senior Alston Kearns also pitched in with 12.
- Redshirt sophomore Morgan Cormier headlined the block column with a match high seven blocks.
Up Next
NC State will return to action on Friday, Oct. 10 when it travels to Atlanta, Ga., to take on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. First serve is slated for 8 p.m. inside O'Keefe Gymnasium.
