Wolfpack Forces Five Set Match with Demon Deacons, Wins Final In State Match of the Season

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – In an evening of wild moments, the NC State volleyball team defeated Wake Forest in a thrilling five set battle in Winston_Salem.

The win marked the first time in program history that the Wolfpack defeated UNC, Duke, and Wake Forest in the same season, in every meeting.

The Pack moves to 14-10 on the season and 9-7 in Atlantic Coast Conference play.

Breaking Down the Match

The Wolfpack opened the match by taking a 6-3 lead over the Demon Deacons. Each time the Pack increased the lead to three, Wake Forest would minimize it to two almost immediately.
After an insanely long and intense rally, Wake Forest tied the opening frame seven-all but a kill by fifth year opposite Madison Williams gave NC State back the lead.
A 4-0 scoring run by the Demon Deacons brought the match to its first media timeout and Wake Forest held a three-point lead (15-12). Wake Forest scored two more points out of the timeout, forcing head coach Luka Slabe to take his first timeout of the set with hopes of regrouping the Wolfpack.
With it being set point Wake Forest and the Wolfpack trailing by seven (24-17), NC State found a bit of momentum. Despite a 3-0 scoring run to minimize the Demon Deacons lead to four, Wake Forest would end the scoring run and take set one 25-20.
At the conclusion of the first set, outside hitter Ava Brizard and opposite Amanda Rice combined for six kills for the Pack.
Despite some struggles to begin the second set, the Wolfpack would take a four-point lead headed into the media timeout after a kill by middle blocker Jada Allen. Out of the timeout, Rice scored back-to-back service aces to push the lead to six and force Wake Forest to use a timeout.
The Pack continued to dominate despite the Demon Deacons minimizing the lead to two at one point. A kill by junior outside hitter Courtney Bryant allowed NC State to take set two, 25-20.
At the conclusion of the second frame, Rice led all scorers with 10 kills and added three digs, three blocks, two service aces, one assist to the stat line.
The third set started as a back-and-forth battle between the two programs, but a 3-0 scoring run by the Wolfpack changed the momentum. NC State led by as many as five-points during the third frame.
After an attacking error by Brizard, the Demon Deacons tied the third set 19-all but a service error by Rian Baker gave NC State back the lead.
Wake Forest took its first lead (21-20) since the beginning of the set after a block by Sahara Maruska and Olivia Frankie landed in. Slabe used his first timeout of the frame in hopes of slowing the Demon Deacons.
A service ace by fifth year libero Skye Stokes pushed the Wolfpack in front by two but back-to-back errors by the Pack would tie the set at 23-all. Wake Forest would go on to take the next two points to take set three, 25-23.
Rice continued to lead all scorers with 13 kills and tied her career high of three service aces.
The fourth set started as a back-and-forth battle but NC State was the team to take a significant lead. After Stokes tallied her second service ace of the evening to push NC State ahead by four, Wake Forest took its first timeout of the set.
The Demon Deacons would work to minimize the deficit to one (16-15), forcing Slabe to use his first timeout of the frame with hopes of slowing Wake Forest and regrouping the Wolfpack.
The two teams would begin to exchange points, with neither team being able to take more than a one-point lead until a service ace by Kendall Phillips pushed the Demon Deacons ahead by two (22-20).
With her fourth service ace of the evening, Rice tallied a new career high and gave NC State the final point of set four. The Wolfpack won the set, 25-23, forcing a fifth set to be played with the Demon Deacons.
Rice continued to dominate and led all scorers with 17 kills while Bryant added 12 and Brizard added 10.
The Wolfpack started the fifth set down but worked to build a two point lead (8-6) headed into the media timeout. Out of the timeout, Wake Forest took back-to-back points but a kill by fifth year Martyna Leoniak gave NC State back the lead, 9-8.
The Wolfpack took a three-point lead (12-10), forcing Wake Forest to use its final timeout in hopes of slowing NC State. The Wolfpack was unstoppable as it went on a 5-2 scoring run to close out the fifth set on top, 15-11.
Rice finished the evening with 20 kills to mark her second 20 kill match of the season.
The win marked the 14^th of the season, ninth in conference play, 814^th overall in program history, 212^th conference win in program history, and 76^th under Slabe.

Stat Leaders
Kills: Amanda Rice (20)
Digs: Skye Stokes (15)
Assists: Naomi Cabello (36)
Blocks: Jada Allen (5)
Aces: Amanda Rice (4)

Up Next
The Wolfpack will return to Raleigh for a trio of home matches. The Pack will host SMU on Friday, Nov. 22 at 7pm in Reynolds Coliseum.

Wolfpack Forces Five Set Match with Demon Deacons, Wins Final In State Match of the Season

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Team Stats

Amanda Rice

Courtney Bryant

Ava Brizard

Jada Allen

Players Mentioned

Jada Allen

Ava Brizard

Courtney Bryant

Naomi Cabello

Martyna Leoniak

Amanda Rice

Skye Stokes

Madison Williams