Virginia Downs Hofstra, Coastal Carolina To Close Cavalier Classic

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia volleyball team (5-1) picked up a pair of wins on Saturday to close out the Cavalier Classic, defeating Hofstra (2-3) and Coastal Carolina (2-4).

Virginia downed Hofstra by a score of 3-1 (25-14, 25-19, 17-25, 25-22) in the first match of the day behind a career performance from Elayna Duprey. The Cavaliers then defeated Coastal Carolina by a score of 3-2 (25-22, 21-25, 19-25, 25-15, 15-13) with four players in double digit kills and led by 14 from Lauryn Bowie.

HOW IT HAPPENED – HOFSTRA
Set 1: Virginia 25, Hofstra 14
After trading scores early, the Cavaliers pulled ahead by three at 9-6 on a run sparked by back-to-back kills from Zoey Dood and Elayna Duprey. Control of the set was locked up for the Cavaliers when Duprey took over at 12-7 and rattled off three straight kills to put Virginia up by eight at 15-7. Duprey finished the set with six of her 20 kills and hit at a .667 clip in the frame.

Set 2: Virginia 25, Hofstra 19
Hofstra used an early run to pull out to a 14-10 lead on the Cavaliers in set two before Virginia would fight back to tie the score at 15-15. Four rallies later, momentum turned to the Cavaliers as a block from Brooklyn Borum and Abby Tadder put Virginia up 18-17. The Hoos closed out the set with an 8-2 run.

Set 3: Hofstra 25, Virginia 17
With the score tied 10-10, Hofstra took control of the third set with a 7-3 run. Virginia pulled within three down the stretch at 18-15, but the Pride closed things out with a 7-2 run to take the third set.

Set 4: Virginia 25, Hofstra 22
A nip-and-tuck fourth set shifted to the Cavaliers late when Lauryn Bowie delivered a powerful kill to put the Hoos on top 17-16. Virginia held the lead from there and put together a 9-6 run down the stretch to lock up the victory.

HOW IT HAPPENED – COASTAL CAROLINA
Set 1: Virginia 25, Coastal Carolina 22
A back and forth start to the opening set saw Virginia take an early lead only for the Chanticleers to battle back. With the score tied 19-19 after three lead changes, Elayna Duprey tooled the block and put the Hoos on top for good as Virginia took the opening set.

Set 2: Coastal Carolina 25, Virginia 21
Coastal Carolina maintained control of the second set for most of the frame. The Cavaliers would take the lead twice by one point, but at 16-16 the Chanticleers would take control for the duration. 

Set 3: Coastal Carolina 25, Virginia 19
The third set started as another tight battle with eight ties before Coastal Carolina took its first lead at 11-10. The Chanticleers built their lead as high as four points twice, only to have the Hoos cut it to one at 20-19. Virginia would get no closer as Coastal Carolina closed out the set on a 5-0 run.

Set 4: Virginia 25, Coastal Carolina 15
Virginia jumped out to the early lead only to see Coastal Carolina claw back to knot things up at 9-9. Zoey Dood put the Hoos back on top with an attack off a dig and Virginia regained control of the set with a 10-3 run.

Set 5: Virginia, Coastal Carolina
Virginia rode the momentum of the fourth set into the fifth, taking a 6-3 lead out of the gates. The Hoos would build the advantage out to 11-5, but Coastal Carolina chipped away at the lead, pulling within one at 14-13.

NOTING THE HOOS

• The match with Coastal Carolina was the first five-set match for Virginia this season.
• Outside hitters Brooklyn Borum and Elayna Duprey were named to the All-Tournament team.
• Elayna Duprey’s 20 kills against Hofstra matched her career high set against Old Dominion (8/31/24).
• Duprey finished the weekend with 36 kills and 13 digs, while Borum tallied 33 kills and 17 digs.
• Lauryn Bowie had a season-high 14 kills in the win over the Chanticleers.

UP NEXT FOR THE HOOS
Virginia will travel to Lynchburg to play in a tournament at Liberty next weekend. The Hoos will face East Tennessee State on Thursday (Sept. 12) before closing out play with West Virginia and Liberty on Friday (Sept. 13).