Hokies Topple Tigers in Five on Sunday

Oct. 23, 2011

BLACKSBURG, VA – The Clemson volleyball team dropped a five-set (25-22, 14-25, 15-25, 25-19, 15-11) decision to Virginia Tech on Sunday in Blacksburg, VA.The Tigers (14-8, 6-5 ACC) got double-doubles from three players, and clawed back from a four-point deficit to tie up the fifth set, but ultimately fell to the Hokies (13-9, 6-5 ACC).

Clemson entered the match rated 58th in the RPI, while Tech came in at 66th. The Tigers own at Virginia on Friday, while the Hokies earned the weekend sweep over Georgia Tech and the Tigers.

Serenat Yaz, Mo Simmons, and Sandra Adeleye each had 12 kills to lead Clemson, who tallied 18.0 blocks, their second-best effort of the season.

Yaz (12 kills, 17 digs), Simmons (12 kills, 11 digs), and Hannah Brenner (39 assists, 12 digs) each tallied double-doubles for the Tigers, who fell to 3-4 in five-seet decisions this season and 12-8 all-time against the Hokies.

Cansu Ozdemir had ten digs to eclipse the 1,000 career plateau. She finished the match with 1,009 in her career.

Alexa Rand notched nine blocks to lead the Tigers, while Adeleye had seven, Ozdemir had six, and Yaz added five.

Virginia Tech came out swinging in the first set, nailing 17 kills in a 25-22 win. Clemson hit just .053, while the Hokies registered three blocks. Sandra Adeleye had four of Clemson’s nine kills, but the Tigers couldn’t overcome a 7-3 run in the middle of the set.

Clemson fought back in the second set, using an early 8-2 run to take a 14-6 advantage. The Hokies closed to six at 17-11, but the Tigers went on another 8-2 run to win the set, 25-13. Clemson hit .364 in the set while holding the Hokies to a .000 mark, helped by Clemson’s four blocks.

The Tigers held the Hokies to .000 hitting for a second straight set in the third, as Tehc registered 11 kills and 11 attack errors, five of which came by Clemson’s block. Natalie Patzin had 10 digs in the set, as Tigers had 11 kills to just one error, but stifled many of Tech’s attacks with good passing.

Tech was up to the challenge, roaring back in the fourth set for a 25-19 win. The Hokies used a 6-0 run to take a 13-8 lead that they would not relinquish. Clemson could get no closer than two the rest of the way, as the Hokies spread the ball around for 15 kills and a .250 hitting percentage, forcing a fifth set.

The Hokies came out fast in the fifth set, with Justine Record nailing a pair of aces to start, and leading to a third point to go up, 3-0. The Hokies would take a 7-3 lead on their third ace of the set, before Clemson struck back for four straight to knot it at 7-7 on a Yaz kill. But, a well-time Hokie timeout sent them on a 6-1 run, from which the Tigers could not recover. Clemson got back to within three at 14-11, but succumbed on a Gostling kill to close the match.