HOW IT HAPPENED
Set 1: Virginia 25 (1), Clemson 21 (0)
Virginia overcame an early five-point deficit to take the opening set after Clemson jumped out to a 9-4 lead. The Hoos responded with a 7-2 run to even the score at 11-11 before the Tigers answered with four straight points to take a 15-11 advantage. Virginia pulled even again at 20-20 behind a pair of Becca Wight kills and a Clemson attack error.
Clemson regained a 21-20 lead on a Virginia service error, but it would be the Tigers' final point of the set. The Hoos closed on a 5-0 run, highlighted by a Reese Wuebker kill, a Lauryn Bowie block, a Reagan Ennist kill and back-to-back Wuebker aces to take the opening frame.
Set 2: Clemson 25 (1), Virginia 22 (1)
A late rally from the Tigers was the difference as Clemson evened the match. Virginia got off to a 12-7 lead early on and stretched it out to 19-13. A 6-1 run from the Tigers made it 20-19 before the Hoos went ahead by two with an Emily Fowler kill. Clemson responded with six of the final seven points, five of which were kills by Kennedy Wagner.
Set 3: Clemson 26 (2), Virginia 24 (1)
Virginia dropped a back-and-forth third set behind a late run from the Tigers. Clemson controlled the lead early on, but the Hoos never trailed by more than three and evened it at 13-13, 14-14, and 17-17. The teams would remain even at 20-20 and 21-21 before a Wagner kill and a UVA attack error put the Tigers ahead 23-21.
The Cavaliers tallied three straight points on a Wight kill, a Fowler ace and a Clemson attack error to go ahead 24-23, but the Tigers took the set’s final three points, which included a pair of Anika Groom kills.
Set 4: Virginia 25 (2), Clemson 20 (2)
Virginia got off to an 8-1 start in the fourth set, though the Tigers rallied to even it a 14-14. Despite the Clemson run, the Cavaliers never gave the Tigers the lead and responded with an 8-2 run to go ahead 22-16. After a 3-0 Clemson run, the Hoos finished with three of the final four points with a kill from Wuebker and two kills from Wight.
Set 5: Virginia 15 (3), Clemson 8 (2)
Virginia never trailed in the final set, though the Tigers kept it tight early as the two teams were tied at 1-1, 2-2, 3-3 and 4-4. The Cavaliers broke things open with a 9-1 run, which included seven straight points to go ahead 13-5. The Hoos picked up their final two points on a Bowie kill and a Clemson service error.
MATCH NOTES
- Virginia had four players with double-digit kills; Reese Wuebker (17), Emily Fowler (14), Reagan Ennist (11) and Becca Wight (11). It was the first time the Hoos had four players in double figures since a 3-2 win over Boston College on October 27, 2024.
- Virginia finished the match with a .287 hitting percentage - a mark they reached just twice in ACC play last season.
- Virginia’s 17 total blocks were a season high.
- Fowler’s 14 kills were a season high. Her eight blocks were also one shy of her career high.
- Wight’s five blocks matched her career high. It was the third five-block game of her career, which included one against Clemson last season.
- Zoey Dood’s 16 assists were a season high.
- First-year Ruby McDermott’s 13 digs were a season high.
QUOTABLE
"Winning in the ACC is so difficult. Winning on the road is even tougher, especially in the fifth set. I loved watching our team fight through it today, we just kept finding ways. We had some big matches by Emily Fowler and Becca Wight on the offensive game. Lauryn Bowie was a game changer against their outsides and did a tremendous job of changing what they wanted to do offensively. I’m very happy for our team and our staff. I thought our team looked ready for the fight today! This is one we will enjoy." - head coach Shannon Wells
NEXT UP
Virginia heads to Atlanta for a match at Georgia Tech on Sunday. First serve is scheduled for 1 p.m. and the match will be streamed on ACC Network Extra.
