Virginia Volleyball Registers 3-0 Win Over Clemson On Senior Night
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Nov. 12, 2004
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The University of Virginia volleyball team snapped a two-match slide with an impressive 3-0 (30-20, 33-31, 30-26) Atlantic Coast Conference victory over Clemson Friday evening (November 12) at Memorial Gym. Fourth-year middle Alexis Geocaris (Wilmette, Ill./New Trier) shined on Senior Night with a .429 hitting percentage, 14 kills and five blocks. With the victory, UVa improves to 18-9 overall and 8-7 in the ACC, while the Tigers fall to 17-13 overall and 6-9 in the conference.
In addition to Geocaris, the Cavaliers received double-figure kills performances from first-year outside hitter Sarah Kirkwood (Tampa, Fla./Plant) and third-year outside hitter Kristin Chaney (Johnston, Iowa/Johnston). Kirkwood tallied a team-high 16 kills, and in the process, became the second Cavalier to record 500 kills in a single season as she now has 509. Chaney had 10 kills while hitting .429 and had six digs as well. Second-year outside hitter Lindsay Osco (Houston, Texas/Elkins) fell one kill shy of a double-double with nine kills and 11 digs.
First-year libero Melissa Caldwell (Houston, Texas/Stratford) led Virginia’s defensive effort with 27 digs and she also added three service aces. Second-year setter Emily Kirkwood (Tampa, Fla./Plant) handed out 52 assists and also contributed three kills, three service aces, three digs and three block assists.
Leslie Finn paced the Tigers with a match-high 20 kills and she also added 14 digs for a double-double. Brittany Ross totaled 16 kills, while Lori Ashton rounded out the Clemson players in double figures in kills with 10. Anna Villinch led the Tigers with 19 digs.
The Cavaliers hit .295 as a team with 59 kills and just 15 hitting errors, while Clemson hit .241 with 57 kills. The Tigers held a 70-55 advantage in digs, while Virginia held 8-2 and 7-5 edges in service aces and team blocks, respectively.
UVa hit .405 in cruising to a 30-20 win in the first game. UVa rallied for a 33-31 win in the second game. The Cavaliers trailed 22-18, but came back to tie the game at 25-25 on a kill by Sarah Kirkwood. Clemson pulled ahead 29-27, but a back-to-back kills by Chaney and Osco tied the game at 29-29. Another kill by Chaney pushed UVa ahead 32-31 and a Tiger attack error made the final score 33-31. Virginia hit .304 in winning the third game 30-26. Sarah Kirkwood broke a 17-17 tie with a kill that put UVa ahead to stay.
Virginia closes out its regular season on Saturday (November 13) by hosting Georgia Tech at Memorial Gym at noon. Admission is free of charge.