Volleyball Rallies for 3-2 Comeback Win Against Incarnate Word

Saturday, September 12

New Orleans, La. (Devlin Fieldhouse)

5:30 PM

NC State

8-1

Incarnate Word

2-7

Incarnate Word

NC State

Photo by: Greg Mintel

Volleyball Rallies for 3-2 Comeback Win Against Incarnate Word

9/12/2015 9:32:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

Freshman Blayke Hranicka leads the Wolfpack with a career-best 16 kills

By: Justin Wilson, Assistant Athletics Communications Director

NEW ORLEANS – The NC State women's volleyball team rallied for a 3-2 (18-25, 16-25, 25-14, 28-26, 15-12) come-from-behind win Saturday night against Incarnate Word to conclude play in the Allstate Sugar Bowl Collegiate Classic.

The Wolfpack improves to 8-1 on the season, while the Cardinals fall to 2-7. NC State compiled a perfect 3-0 record in the Tulane Tournament, following wins over the host Green Wave, Nicholls State and Incarnate Word.

Bunn's Beat
Opening statement…
"We didn't play well early in the match and they took it to us," said head coach Bryan Bunn. "We rebounded in the third and fourth sets and then took care of business in the fifth set.

"We weren't locked in or engaged at the start of the match and it showed. Fortunately, we were able to regroup to win the match."

Overall thoughts on the weekend…
"It was a good learning experience for us, playing on the road and being away from home for a few days to get us prepared for the ACC season."

On Kaitlyn Kearney's play…
"She did fantastic and had a great weekend. She struggled a little early tonight, but bounced back and really played well. Kaitlyn's blocking has also been great recently, so she's contributing a lot offensively and defensively."

Match Notes
- NC State's 3-2 comeback win was the first of its kind since Nov. 26, 2014, when the squad also rallied from an 0-2 hole to win the match.
- The Wolfpack has now played in two five-set matches this season and boasts a 1-1 record after dropping its first against Ole' Miss.
- Freshman Blayke Hranicka smacked a career-best and match-high 16 kills in the match.

Match Rewind
- NC State got off to a slow start in the contest, as it struggled to get into a rhythm offensively or defensively and dropped the first two sets, 25-18 and 25-16, respectively.
- The Wolfpack turned things around in the third set, as the squad found its groove and cruised to a 25-14 set win. NC State recorded an attacking percentage of .583 for the frame with 15 kills and only one error.
- In the fourth set, NC State fought off match point three times before emerging victorious with the 28-26 fourth-set win. Trailing 24-22, senior Morgan Cormier put down a kill and a ball handling error by Incarnate Word's Kaitlyn Brooks tied the score.
- A service error followed to give UIW set point again, but a kill from sophomore Kaitlyn Kearney knotted the score at 25. Tied 26-26, Kearney swatted a kill and then teamed up with freshman Sarah Konchan for a block to give NC State the 28-26 victory in the frame.
- NC State opened the fifth set on a 4-1 run and held the upper hand throughout the remainder of the frame to earn the 15-12 win. UIW tried to mount a comeback late in the set, but a kill by Cormier sealed the 3-2 comeback victory for the Wolfpack.

Top Performers
- Hranicka led the Pack offensively with 16 kills and a .467 attacking percentage. Kearney put down 15 kills, while Cormier and Perry Ramsey each tallied nine.
- Junior setter Maggie Speaks dished out a match-high 49 assists in the contest, while also collecting 16 digs to record her second double-double of the year.
- Defensively, freshman libero Kassie Kasper charted 12 digs and sophomore Emily Harris registered 11.

Up Next
NC State will return to action on Friday, Sept. 18, when it hosts the Double Tree Cary Classic inside Carmichael Gym. The Wolfpack opens play against Campbell at 7 p.m. on Friday.

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