Tadder, Dean Shine in Five-Set Thriller Over Liberty

LYNCHBURG, Va. – Virginia middle blockers Abby Tadder (18 kills, .556 Hit%, 5 blocks) and Kate Dean (13 kills, .571 Hit%, 3 blocks) combined for 31 kills to lead the Cavaliers (8-1) to a five-set (16-25, 25-19, 22-25, 25-23, 15-9) victory over Liberty (4-4) Friday night (Sept. 13) at Liberty Arena. With the win, the Hoos recorded their third straight victory of the Flames’ Liberty Tournament.

For only the fifth time in program history, UVA is off to an 8-1 start, also the first time since 2004.

In addition to Tadder, who was also crowned tournament MVP, UVA outside hitter Brooklyn Borum and libero Milan Gomillion were named to the Liberty Tournament All-Tournament Team.

FROM HEAD COACH SHANNON WELLS
“I’m really proud of this team. We have focused on getting one-percent better, which means competing against our last opportunity, and that’s what’s happening. We fully believe the results will take care of themselves when we focus on our side and find ways to get better with each repetition. Kudos to our seniors, who had some big matches throughout this tournament. This is a big team win, and it’s encouraging to know we still have so much to get better at.”

HOW IT HAPPENED

Set 1: Liberty 25, Virginia 16
Both teams were knotted 10-10 when the Flames exploded on a 13-4 scoring spree to run away with the opening set. Seven attack errors in contrast to LU’s two also hindered UVA’s ability to stay competitive. Borum (8 kills, 15 digs) led the Cavaliers with four kills on six swings and no errors.

Set 2: Virginia 25, Liberty 19
The Hoos evened the match in the second with the help of six Tadder kills. For the second straight set, UVA did not allow a single service error, and its efficient passing helped the Cavaliers terminate 19 sets and hit .366.

Set 3: Liberty 25, Virginia 22
An ace by Tadder deep in the third tied the set, 19-19, but LU closed out the frame by outpacing the Cavaliers 6-3 the rest of the way. The Flames hit .483 in game No. 3, while the Hoos hit a respectable clip of .281.

Set 4: Virginia 25, Liberty 23
The Flames led by as many as four points [11-7] in the fourth, but UVA never allowed them to gain set point. Later in the frame, LU led 21-18, but the Cavaliers scored four straight points, highlighted by a pair of Dean kills and block, to take a 22-21 lead. The Flames tied the set, 23-23, but another Dean kill and a block from Tadder and Becca Wight (4 kills, 3 blocks) sealed the fourth and forced the decisive fifth. Dean finished with six kills and Tadder had five. Gomillion recorded 11 of her 20 total digs in game No. 4.

Set 5: Virginia 15, Liberty 9
The score was tied 6-6 in the fifth when UVA fired off four straight points to take a commanding 10-6 lead with Borum leading the way behind the service line. After that, the Hoos outscored Liberty 5-3 the rest of the way to deliver their eighth win of the season. The Cavalier defense held LU to a .000 hitting percentage after it was limited to only four kills and four attack errors.

WITH THE WIN…

• UVA is off to an 8-1 start for the first time since 2004.
• It’s also only the fifth time in school history UVA has started 8-1 … other years include 2004, 2003, 1998 and 1996.
• Virginia improved to 32-5 in the all-time series with Liberty which began in 1979, UVA’s inaugural season, and snapped a two-match skid in the series.
• The Cavaliers also improved to 9-3 all-time against the Flames in Lynchburg.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• Kate Dean recorded a career-high 13 kills and hit .571 after only committing one attack error.
• Abby Tadder finished with a season-high 18 kills, which also tied for second-most in a single match of her career.
• Milan Gomillion recorded 11 of her 20 digs in the fourth.
• Abby Tadder, Zoey Dood and Elayna Duprey teamed up for a triple block in set. No. 3.

Liberty Tournament All-Tournament Team
Abby Tadder, Virginia (MVP)
Brooklyn Borum, Virginia
Milan Gomillion, Virginia
Kamryn Bacus, Liberty
Charli Morris, Liberty
Amanda Lowe, ETSU
Whitley Rommel, ETSU
Laila Ibrahim, West Virginia
Hailey Green, West Virginia

ON THE HORIZON
Virginia returns to Memorial Gymnasium to host Middle Tennessee State (3-5) on back-to-back nights (Sept. 24-25) at 6:30 p.m. Both contests will stream on ACC Network Extra (ACCNX). All 2024 UVA volleyball regular-season contested at Mem Gym are free to the public.

Virginia’s home match against Miami on Oct. 6 will be held at John Paul Jones Arena. Tickets can be purchased at UVAtix.com.