Photos by Kelsey Hagan, Clemson Athletic Communications
RALEIGH, N.C. – Kaylin Korte reached the 20-kill threshold for the fourth time this season as she finished with 23 kills on a career-high 60 attempts, but it was not enough as NC State escaped with a five-set win (25-22, 17-25, 25-17, 19-25, 11-15) over the Tigers in Reynolds Coliseum Friday evening. Clemson was outhit .421 to .053 in the deciding fifth set.
Box Score
The Tigers utilized an 8-1 run to take the lead, 15-14, at the first media timeout in the opening set. From there, Clemson would extend its lead to three before taking the first, 25-23. Korte posted six of her 23 kills in game No. 1 and hit .429, while Solei Thomas tallied five of her 11 kills and hit .625.
The Wolfpack took advantage of a 7-1 run in the middle of the second to extend its then one-point lead to seven, 20-13. Clemson could not find its rhythm in game No. 2 as NC State took the set, 25-17.
Coming out of the break, Michaela Franklin opted to start Brooke Bailey and Alyssa Deloney in the Tigers’ front row. Bailey gave Clemson a nice boost offensively, tallying five of her six kills in the third, while hitting .500 for the set. Deloney helped orchestrate a 5-0 Clemson run early in the set behind the service line. Korte also poured in eight kills on the set as Clemson took the third with ease, 25-17, and a 2-1 lead.
Despite its 2-1 advantage, Clemson surrendered seven unanswered in the middle of the fourth to give the Wolfpack a 16-9 lead in the fourth. The Tigers chipped away at the NC State lead, but it was too little too late as the Wolfpack took the fourth, 25-19, to force a deciding fifth set.
In the fifth, Clemson could not find a spark offensively as the Tigers scored consecutive points just once for the entire set. Deloney led the Clemson effort in the fifth with three kills.
Freshman setter Mckenna Slavik dished out a career-best 51 assists, while freshman defensive specialist Maddie Wilmot also finished with a career high, 11 digs.
The last time Clemson and NC State went to five sets was in Jervey Gym on Oct. 1, 2011, which the Tigers won. The last time the two teams went to five in Raleigh was on Sept. 22, 2000, which Clemson also won.
Up next, Clemson (10-12, 4-7 ACC) heads west to Chapel Hill, North Carolina to take on North Carolina (10-11, 7-4 ACC). Sunday’s contest against the Tar Heels is slated for 1 p.m. and is scheduled to stream on ACCNX. For the Tigers’ complete 2019 schedule, click here.
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