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Oct. 21, 2005
CLEMSON, S.C. – Second-year outside hitter Sarah Kirkwood (Tampa, Fla./Plant) pounded a match-high 23 kills and added 16 digs in leading the University of Virginia volleyball team to a 3-2 (30-22, 27-30, 30-25, 22-30, 15-11) win over Clemson Friday evening (October 21) at Jervey Gym. With the victory, UVa improves its school record Atlantic Coast Conference winning streak to six matches and now stands at 13-6 overall and 8-2 in the conference. The Tigers fall to 9-9 overall and 4-6 in the ACC.
In addition to increasing its winning streak to six matches, Virginia also equaled its conference victory total from last season with eight (in six less matches). The Cavaliers snapped a four-match losing streak at Clemson as well.
Sarah Kirkwood posted a .308 hitting percentage while tallying her 23 kills and her fifth double-double of the season. She also added two blocks, two assists and a pair of service aces. Third-year outside hitter Lindsay Osco (Houston, Texas/Elkins) had 17 kills and just missed a double-double with nine digs. She also notched three assists and two aces. First-year middle Shannon Davis (Austin, Texas/Westlake) slammed a career-high 16 kills and registered a team-best .375 hitting percentage. Davis tied second-year middle Katie Oakes (Lorton, Va./Evangel Christian School) for team-high honors in blocks with three. Oakes was the fourth Cavalier to reach double figures in kills as she had 12.
Third-year setter Emily Kirkwood (Tampa, Fla./Plant) handed out 63 assists and also contributed six digs and a pair of blocks. Second-year libero Melissa Caldwell (Houston, Texas/Stratford) led all players with 23 digs, while third-year outside hitter Emily Perilli (Thompson’s Station, Tenn./Page) recorded three service aces to lead all players in that category.
The trio of Brittany Ross, Jeannette Abbott and Danielle Hepburn paced Clemson. Ross tallied 19 kills, while Abbott had 18 kills and 10 digs. Hepburn posted 16 kills while hitting .452. Dawn Robertson and Leslie Mansfield both recorded 27 assists, while Anna Vallinch registered 19 digs.
The Cavaliers were just one shy of their season high with 78 kills in the match. UVa hit .240 in the contest, while Clemson posted 67 kills and a .230 hitting percentage. UVa held slight 72-70 and 8-4 advantages in digs and service aces, respectively, but the Tigers won the blocking battle 12-6.
UVa opened the match with a 30-22 victory in the first game with Sarah Kirkwood leading the way with six kills. Clemson evened the match at one game apiece with a 30-27 win in game two. The Tigers posted a .429 hitting percentage in the second frame. In the third game, Osco and Sarah Kirkwood both recorded five kills in leading UVa to a 30-25 victory. The Tigers out-hit Virginia .275 to .135 in winning game four 30-22. In the fifth and deciding game, the Cavaliers hit .350 compared to Clemson’s .100 and posted a 15-11 win to clinch the match. UVa raced out to 7-3 and 12-5 leads in game five, only to see Clemson claw its way back into the match. The Tigers scored three straight points to pull within 12-8. The two teams traded the next four points and a Clemson kill made the score 14-11. Sarah Kirkwood ended the suspense with her 23rd kill to close out the match.
Virginia returns to action on Saturday (October 22) when it travels to Georgia Tech for a 6:00 p.m.