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Virginia Volleyball Loses 3-2 Heartbreaker To Clemson
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Nov. 10, 2001
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia volleyball team had six players reach double figures in kills, but it wasn’t enough as the Cavaliers dropped a 3-2 (30-27, 20-30, 30-25, 27-30, 15-8) decision to Clemson on Saturday evening (November 10) at University Hall. With the loss, the Cavaliers fall to 7-17 overall and 3-13 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, while the Tigers improve to 10-16 overall and 4-12 in the ACC.
Fifth-year outside hitter Andrea Fischer (Santa Barbara, Calif./Santa Barbara) shined on her own “Senior Night” with season highs of 19 kills and seven digs. Fischer also hit .389 in the match and added four service aces to improve her career school record total to 150. First-year middle Alexis Geocaris (Wilmette, Ill./New Trier) also turned in an outstanding performance with a career-high 13 kills and an impressive .522 hitting percentage. Geocaris recorded a match-high seven blocks, including two solo stuffs, as well. Fourth-year outside hitter Jenny Harmon (Virginia Beach, Va./Salem) and second-year middle Shannon Boyle (Cincinnati, Ohio/Ursuline Academy) both tallied 13 kills with Harmon recording 15 digs for a double-double, as well as two service aces and two blocks. Second-year outside hitters Paige Davis (Austin, Texas/Westlake) and Katie Synan (Fredericksburg, Va./Chancellor) rounded out the Cavaliers in double figures in kills with 11 and 10, respectively. Davis also added seven digs, two aces and two blocks. Second-year setter Abby Whittenburg (Amarillo, Texas/Amarillo) dished out 39 assists and registered 10 digs for a double-double, while first-year setter Lily Phillips (Phoenix, Ariz./Horizon) handed out 32 assists. Second-year outside hitter Whitney Ashcraft (Yorktown, Ind./Burris) contributed 14 digs to UVa’s defensive effort.
Leslie Finn and Ryane Beasley both recorded double-doubles for the Tigers as they combined for 45 kills and 28 digs. Finn tallied a match-high 23 kills and added 15 digs, while Beasley posted 22 kills and 13 digs. Lori Ashton added 10 kills and five blocks for Clemson. Setter Jessi Betcher also registered a double-double with 37 assists and a match-high 23 digs.
The Cavaliers notched 80 kills in the match, compared to Clemson’s 70, but were outhit by the Tigers .261 to .219. Clemson also held a 91-69 advantage in digs, while UVa posted 10 team blocks to the Tigers’ seven.
The Tigers won the first game 30-27 as Finn led the way with six kills. UVa tied the match at one game apiece with a 30-20 victory in the second game. The Cavaliers hit an impressive .405 in the game with Fischer and Geocaris both tallying four kills. In the third game, Finn and Beasley both posted five kills as the Tigers erased a 20-17 deficit to win 30-25. Fischer, Davis and Boyle combined for 16 kills in UVa’s 30-27 win in the fourth game that tied the match at 2-2. In the fifth and deciding game, Clemson took a 2-0 lead, but UVa battled back to take a 5-4 advantage. The Tigers scored the next three points to take the lead for good and posted a 15-8 victory.
The Cavaliers return to action at the ACC Championship in Tallahassee, Fla. with an opening round matchup against N.C. State at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 15.