RALEIGH, N.C. - Virginia dropped a tight four-set match to NC State at Reynolds Coliseum on Sunday.
The Cavaliers (6-19, 2-14 ACC) took the opening set 25-23 before the Wolfpack (17-10, 8-8 ACC) grabbed the next two sets by just a combined five points, 25-22 and 27-25, before taking the final set, 25-14. Reese Wuebker led Virginia with 12 kills while Emily Fowler added eight kills and five blocks. For NC State, Britni Silver led all players with 20 kills while Jordan Smith tallied 12 kills.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Set 1: Virginia 25 (1), NC State 23 (0)
A tight opening set saw neither team lead by more than two, with the Hoos breaking away late. With the set tied at 20-20, Virginia went up 22-20 after a Lauryn Bowie kill and an Emily Fowler block, and led the rest of the way as the team alternated points before ending the set on a NC State service error.
Set 2: NC State 25 (1), Virginia 22 (1)
Virginia opened the set with three straight points before a 6-0 run by the Wolfpack flipped the three-point lead in favor of NC State. The Hoos evened it at 6-6, and eventually evened up Wolfpack leads of 10-7 and 14-10 at 10-10 and 18-18. With the teams tied late, NC State grabbed the next two points before a 3-0 Virginia run put the Cavaliers ahead 21-20. Virginia’s lead didn’t last, however, as the Wolfpack closed the set with five of the final six points.
Set 3: NC State 27 (2), Virginia 25 (1)
Neither team led by more than three in the third set as Virginia held a late 22-19 lead. NC State grabbed the next two points before the Hoos took two of the next three to go up 24-22. The Wolfpack evened it at 24-24 with back-to-back Smith kills before Fowler and Clara Vondran traded kills to make it 25-25. Vondran followed with two more kills to clinch the set for NC State.
Set 4: NC State 25 (3), Virginia 14 (1)
The Wolfpack set the tone by grabbing the first 12 points of the final set. Virginia cut the lead to as close as seven at 17-10 before NC State closed the set on an 8-4 run.
MATCH NOTES
- With 12 kills, third-year outside hitter Reese Wuebker recorded 10-plus kills for the eighth consecutive match, which is the longest streak of her career.
- Third-year setter Zoey Dood’s four blocks matched her season high. She also had four blocks at Wake Forest on Friday.
- Fourth-year DS Meredith Reeg, a Raleigh native, matched her season high with 14 digs. She also had 14 digs in the season opener against American.
NEXT UP
The Cavaliers are back in Memorial Gymnasium next weekend for matches against No. 2 Pitt on Friday and No. 5 SMU for senior day on Sunday.