Virginia Wins Comeback Thriller at Virginia Tech, 3-2
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Box Score Oct. 12, 2014
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BLACKSBURG, Va.-The Virginia volleyball team won a come-from-behind, five-set victory, 12-25, 17-25, 25-22, 25-18 and 18-16, at Virginia Tech Sunday afternoon (Oct. 12) at Cassel Coliseum.
The Cavaliers (11-8, 4-2 ACC) trailed two sets to zero and fought off three match points in the fifth set before earning the last three points to win, 18-16.
“It was a tale of two games, as we were really bad in the first two sets and they were playing extremely well,” UVa head coach Dennis Hohenshelt said. “We talked in the locker room about getting back to basics and I thought we served a little tougher and passed a little better in the third to get some momentum going. We took that momentum and put pressure on them in the fourth and then hung tough in the fifth when it was back and forth and were able to pull out the win.”
The Cavaliers hit .173 for the match, while the Hokies earned a .218 hitting percentage and led in digs (71-52), blocks (12-7.5) and aces (7-2).
Junior Natalie Bausback (Carlsbad, Calif.) led UVa with 13 kills, while senior Tori Janowski (Sterling, Va.) recorded a double-double with 12 kills and 10 digs. Freshman Haley Fauntleroy (Winnetka, Ill.) recorded eight kills on .357 hitting with two blocks in her first collegiate start.
In the first set, the Cavaliers committed six hitting errors against only four kills as the Hokies claimed the frame, 25-12. VT hit .333 with 11 kills and five service aces.
The second set saw five lead changes and eight ties, but with the score tied at 9-9, the Hokies went on an 8-2 run to pull away and take the set, 25-17.
In the third set, the Hokies had a 20-17 lead, but the Cavaliers won the next four to take the lead, 21-20. After two straight VT points, UVa earned the next four to take the frame, 25-22.
The fourth set was tied, 15-15, but the Cavaliers went on a 10-3 run to close the frame and force the fifth set, 25-18.
Virginia Tech was led by Kathryn Caine, who hit .652 with 16 kills against one error.
The match was sponsored by Virginia529, the official college savings plan of University of Virginia Athletics. With Virginia’s victory, the Hoos have earned a point in the Virginia529 Commonwealth Clash and now hold a 1.5-0 lead in the Clash. Learn more about Virginia529 and this new competition at thecommonwealthclash.com.
The Cavaliers return to action Friday (Oct. 17) when they play at Duke at 6:30 p.m.