Wolfpack Shocks No. 5 Cardinals, 3-1

Sunday, October 1

Raleigh, N.C.

4pm

NC State

13-2,3-1ACC

No. 5 Louisville

12-2,3-1ACC

Louisville

NC State

10/1/2023 7:37:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

RALEIGH – The NC State volleyball team (13-2, 3-1) etched its name in the record books after upsetting No. 5 Louisville (12-2, 3-1) in four sets Sunday afternoon to hand the Cardinals their second loss of the season. The win is the first in program history over a top-five opponent, first over a ranked opponent in Reynolds Coliseum, and only the second win over a nationally ranked opponent in the program's 47-year history.

The last time the Cardinals fell to an unranked opponent was in 2019 when they lost to Florida State in four sets. The Wolfpack held the Cardinals to a season low .164 hitting percentage, and Louisville's 15 points in the fourth set marked their the second lowest scored this season.

Playing in front of a home crowd of 2,870, the Pack established the tone in the first set as it was only the second time in series history that the Pack won a set in a match against the Cardinals in Raleigh.

The match proved to be a battle from the start as neither team led by more than a handful of points through the first two sets. The Cardinals struggled from the service line throughout the evening, recording a total of 11 errors.

By the middle of the third set, three members of the Pack were hitting over .400 – Amanda Rice, Madison Williams and Ava Brizard. The trio recorded several kills to help push the Wolfpack ahead.

The third set was the only one in which Louisville ever took a significant lead over the Wolfpack, but NC State didn't back down. The Pack came with a fire under it in set four, forcing the Cardinals to use both timeouts early in the set. The Wolfpack went on an 8-4 run to close the fourth set on top.

Rice, a junior outside hitter, led the way with 16 kills after hitting .433 on the evening and added four blocks to her stat line. Brizard added 14 kills and recorded only one hitting error, while Williams finished with 11 kills. Fifth-year setter Kristen McDaniel led the setters with 28 assists and added 14 digs.

The Wolfpack hits the road to take on Miami and Florida State in the third week of conference play. NC State will face the Hurricanes on Friday, Oct. 6 and the Seminoles on Sunday, Oct. 8.