Virginia Volleyball Sweeps No. 16 Florida State

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – To open its home slate of ACC play, the Virginia volleyball team (12-2, 2-1 ACC) swept No. 16 Florida State (10-3, 2-1) in three sets (25-22, 25-21, 25-22) at Memorial Gymnasium on Friday night (Oct. 4). 

UVA’s victory over the Seminoles is the program’s first over a ranked opponent since 2010 – also against FSU – and highest-ranked win in team history.  

Elayna Duprey led the way offensively for the Cavaliers with a match-high 14 kills and one ace. Defensively, Lauryn Bowie and Kate Dean each had four blocks while Milan Gomillion’s 19 digs tied for a match high.  

HOW IT HAPPENED 

Set 1: Virginia 25, Florida State 21
The first set featured 11 tied scores and six lead changes. UVA outside hitters Duprey (6) and Brooklyn Borum (4) combined for 10 of its 17 total kills, and both players hit above .600 with no attack errors. FSU led 18-17 when the Hoos scored four of the next five points to take the lead for good. Virginia hit .424 in the first after committing only three attack errors, while the Seminoles had six. 

Set 2: Virginia 25, Florida State 21
Three 3-0 runs by the Hoos proved to be the difference in the second. After Virginia’s second 3-0 run, the Seminoles responded with one of their own to trim UVA’s lead to one, 20-19. Following a home team timeout, the Cavaliers orchestrated their third 3-0 spree to pull away. FSU’s only lead of the set was early on [5-4]. Once again, Borum and Duprey led UVA in kills with three apiece. To no avail, FSU out-hit the Hoos, .229-.161. 

Set 3: Virginia 25, Florida State 22
The third set proved to be a back-and-forth affair before Virginia took the lead for good at 10-9 on a Seminole ball-handling error. UVA led by as many as five in the third set, culminating when Duprey’s 14th kill of the night made it 22-17. Following a block from Bowie and Abby Tadder that gave the Hoos match point, FSU then on a 3-0 run before a Seminole service error sealed the historic victory. 

WITH THE WIN… 

• Virginia toppled just its third ranked opponent in the history of the AVCA poll (est. 1982). 

• The last time the Cavaliers defeated a ranked opponent was Oct. 31, 2010, when they took down No. 25 Florida State in five sets.  

• UVA’s only other win over a ranked opponent was over No. 22 Georgia Tech Oct. 5, 1996. 

• Virginia claimed the program’s first-ever sweep over a ranked opponent. 

• Virginia is 12-2 (or better) for the first time since 2003, when it won its first 16 matches of the season. 

• It’s only the third time in school history UVA has started 12-2 or better. Other years include 2003 and 1998. 

• Friday’s sweep for UVA was its first three-set win over an ACC opponent since knocking off Virginia Tech in straight sets in the 2023 season finale. 

• UVA improved to 17-43 in the all-time series with the Seminoles, which began in 1987. 

ADDITIONAL NOTES 

• In the second set, Abby Tadder recorded her fifth kill of the night to eclipse 800 kills for her career.  

• Brooklyn Borum’s nine kills on the night pushed the senior over the 600–kills plateau for her career.  

• Elayna Durprey also tallied the 500th kill of her career on Friday night.  

UP NEXT
The Cavaliers host Miami (10-4, 1-2 ACC) in the second-ever volleyball match at John Paul Jones Arena Sunday (Oct. 6). First serve against the Hurricanes is slated for 1 p.m. on ACCNX. Tickets can be purchased at UVAtix.com.