Virginia Tech women’s volleyball lost in three sets to North Carolina State (14-2, 6-1 ACC) on Friday, Oct. 18, at Cassell Coliseum. The result did not represent the effort and superb defense of the Hokies (7-10, 1-6 ACC), as all sets were lost by four points or less.
Graduate student Leandra Mangal Duran said, “I think with each game we are getting closer and closer to where we want to be.” “That gives me a lot of hope and peace of mind with this team.”
The Hokies started the first set with a strong attack, led by a series of aces and difficult-to-control hits. Sophomore Hailey Pearce led the offense with numerous kills and provided momentum.
At the beginning of the first set, defense was prioritized with Duran as the anchor. The team has rotated in several defensive specialists to assist the fifth-year libero, including junior Sierra Cates and freshman Ece Yildiz.
Junior Jordan Hallman had a great performance, blocking a kill attempt and keeping Virginia Tech within the set. Paired with Pierce’s offensive prowess, redshirt junior Jasmine Robinson and freshman Belle Patrick led the Hokies midway through the set.
However, the back-row defense was utilized repeatedly as the Tar Heels continually found holes and kept the Hokies on guard. Some shaky defense allowed UNC to take the lead late in the set.
The offense continued to push and a big kill from Pierce tied the set. But the first set ultimately came down to defense, exploiting holes and finding weaknesses as the Tar Heels won 28-26.
“We’re doing a really good job of getting to the ‘red zone’ when we get to 20…We just have to do a better job of executing,” Duran said of the close set. When asked, he said:
The Hokies went into the first set intending to pound UNC with strength and kills. The early part of the set was a power struggle between the teams, with Robinson’s strength leading the team.
Defense was an issue for both sides. But Duran stayed strong with incredible saves and digs, protecting the Hokies on each play.
Both teams suffered continuous errors, including missed shanks and fingertips, as well as struggles to control the ball.
Virginia Tech began to focus up front, emphasizing power and blocking. Robinson continued to shine in both blocking and kills with support from Pierce and junior Victoria Wahlgren. Block was what kept the Hokies strong throughout the set.
The team worked together, with Robinson and Pierce scoring kills and juniors Sara Malinowski and Holman making blocks. Teamwork allowed the Hokies to regain the lead and force UNC into a timeout.
The Tar Heels came back with energy and power, taking advantage of the Hokies’ back line’s lack of communication and control.
The set went down to the wire again. However, UNC won again and was able to win the set 25-23.
The third set started with Wahlgren moving to the back line and the Hokies’ defensive approach. This shift was supported by blocks from Robinson and Malinowski, with Duran serving as the anchor.
Pierce was able to read the Tar Heels’ defense smartly and score kills. However, in the final stages of the game, UNC’s offensive moves were read out. The Hokies struggled to keep up with the Tar Heels’ consistency.
Hallman and Malinowski continued to be a strong blocking duo controlling UNC’s front line. The final line continued to struggle defensively.
Pierce and Robinson were the anchor of the Hokies’ offense and forced UNC into mistakes. But the Tar Heels found holes and read the ball better than Virginia Tech. The set ended 25-21.
“Honestly, I think whenever we turned 20, we just handed them the game,” Duran said. “We just gave them a ton of points and it hurt us.”
Pierce led the team with an impressive 15 of the team’s 32 total kills. Blocking was a team effort, with contributions from Robinson (six), Hallman (five) and Malinowski (four). Wahlgren led the way with 27 assists, while Duran had a game-high 10 assists.
The team will face Duke in another ACC game on Sunday, Oct. 20 at Cassell Coliseum at 4 p.m.
