CLEMSON, S.C. – Senior pin attacker Azyah Dailey notched 19.5 points off 17 kills, two aces and one block, but the Clemson Volleyball program (8-9, 0-6 ACC) dropped a four-set match (25-16, 21-25, 19-25, 22-25) to Virginia Tech (7-9, 1-5 ACC) on Sunday afternoon.
Dailey’s 19.5 points ties her career high that was set earlier this season at Western Michigan. She was followed by sophomore Kate Hansen (eight kills, two block assists) and freshman Neea-Maria Joki (five kills, three aces and two block assists) who each finished with nine points, and by graduate Indigo Young (seven kills, two block assist) who tallied eight points. Redshirt freshman Katherine Sandt led the team with 38 assists and added two aces and six digs, while Devan Taylor and Mia McGrath were the lone Tigers with double-digit digs clocking 12 and 10, respectively.
The Tigers started the opening set in dominant fashion as Clemson went on an 11-3 run behind kills from Hansen, Dailey and McGrath, as well as blocks from Hansen and Dailey. Continuing to push the tempo, Joki rotated to the front row and clocked back-to-back kills to keep a 10-point advantage in the Tigers’ favor. The Hokies closed the gap down to six points, but Clemson continued to see production from Hansen and Dailey, and an ace from Sandt to seal the set win, 25-16.
In the second, the Hokies and Tigers traded points with Hansen, Joki, Dailey and Young all receiving credit for a block during the stretch. VT went on two different runs to take an advantage that Clemson was able to cut down to two points following two kills from Hansen and two aces by Joki. Despite Clemson getting points from Young, McGrath and Dailey, the Hokies were able to even the match at a set each with a 25-21 set win.
Clemson looked to mix things up in the third set when Lejla Sara Hadziredzepovic entered the match and got an opening kill, but Dailey continued to be the driving force for the Tiger offense adding three kills within the first eight points. Joki notched her third ace of the day to bring her season total to 25, but Virginia Tech followed with a long scoring run that had Clemson playing catch up. The Tigers were able to cut into the Hokies lead with two kills from Young, but ultimately, VT took a 2-1 set advantage following the 25-19 set win.
Dailey continued to control the pace for the Tigers in the fourth notching five kills within the first 12 points for Clemson. She added to it with back-to-back aces, her firsts of the 2024 season, to pull the Tigers back within striking distance. Hansen picked up two kills, and an ace from McGrath evened the score at 20-all. The Tigers had looked to close things out, but VT went on a 5-2 run to take the set, 25-22, and the match.
Up Next
Clemson returns to the court next week with a home-and-home matchup against No. 20 Georgia Tech. The Tigers open action against the Yellow Jackets in Atlanta on Wednesday at 7 p.m., before returning home on Friday, Oct. 18 at 3 p.m. Friday’s match will serve as Clemson’s ‘Professor and Staff Appreciation’ match, where faculty and staff of Clemson are encouraged to join the Tigers in the gym.
