Virginia Edged by Hokies in Five-Set Showdown

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Despite the Cavaliers’ comeback effort to force a decisive fifth set, the Virginia Tech volleyball team (10-13, 1-10 ACC) defeated Virginia (8-13, 1-10 ACC) in five sets (22-25, 25-18, 25-17, 28-30, 16-14) inside Memorial Gymnasium Friday evening. The match between the in-state rivals served as the annual Commonwealth Clash presented by Smithfield. Virginia was led by outside hitter Brooklyn Borum, who notched her team-leading sixth double-double of her freshman campaign after posting 11 kills and 11 digs. Borum shouldered a heavy load, taking 31 swings with just one attack error and was 48-for-50 (.962) in receive.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Virginia won the first, 25-22, after closing out set No. 1 on a 6-0 run, which was highlighted by two Grace Turner kills. Turner finished the opening set with a team-high four kills on eight swings with no errors. The Cavaliers also tallied five blocks, including three block assists from middle blocker Alana Walker, helping hold the Hokies to just a .074 hitting percentage.
• The Hokies evened the match, 1-1, after winning set No. 2, 25-18. Virginia Tech leaped out to a 6-1 lead to start the second and closed out the frame by scoring five unanswered points. Once again, Turner posted a team-best four kills in the set.
• Coming out the intermission, Virginia Tech continued to leave its foot on the gas. The Hokies secured a 17-10 lead and sustained a 4-0 UVA run as the Hokies went on to win game No. 3, 25-17. Virginia Tech hit .344, while the Cavaliers hit .083 after recording nine attack errors. Defensively, Turner was a factor, notching six digs in the third.
• The fourth required extra plays as UVA went on to win, 30-28, on a huge kill Walker, who posted four of her 10 kills in game No. 4. Virginia had set point, 24-23, but the Hokies tied the game five times thereafter, but never did regain the lead.
• Late in the fifth, the Hokies led, 13-8, but Virginia displayed its fight by cutting the VT lead to just one, 13-12. The Hokies won the next point to set up match point, but back-to-back Cavalier scores tied the frame, 14-14. VT scored on the next two plays to end the match by way of a UVA service error and a kill by Griere Hughes, who finished the match with 16 kills.

 NOTES

• Freshman outside hitter Brooklyn Borum collected her sixth double-double, which leads the team on the season, after posting 11 kills and 11 digs … Borum took 31 swings and recorded just one error … She was also 48-for-50 (.926) in receive.
• Freshman setter Ashley Le also notched a double-double, the first of her career, after dishing out a team-high 27 assists and dug 11 Hokie attacks … Le’s 11 digs are also her season high.
• Sophomore setter Hannah Prendergast posted a career-high 26 assists.
• Both middle blocker Abby Tadder (6) and right side hitter Simone Dominique (4) finished Friday’s contest with a career high in blocks.
• With her first kill of the match, outside hitter Grace Turner notched her 500^th career kill.
• With her fifth dig of the match, libero Kristen Leland tallied her 400^th career dig. 

UP NEXT

• The Cavaliers return to Mem Gym to host Wake Forest (11-11, 2-9 ACC) on Sunday at 1 p.m.
• Sunday’s contest is slated to stream on ACCNX.