Tigers Sweep Virginia Tech In Volleyball Action On Friday

Sept. 28, 2007

CLEMSON, SC – Senior Meghan Steiner recorded a team-best 13 kills and five Clemson players hit above .300 for the match as the Tiger volleyball swept Virginia Tech, 3-0 (30-24, 30-20, 30-26), on Friday night at Jervey Gym for its sixth straight victory.

Overall, Clemson now boasts a 10-2 record while improving to 3-0 in conference play.

The Hokies dropped to 7-7 for the year with a 1-3 mark against ACC opponents.

Tiger setter Danielle Hepburn, Leslie Mansfield and Lia Proctor all posted hitting percentages over .300 against Virginia Tech along with Steiner’s match-high .667 figure. Defensively, Didem Ege increased her league-leading digs per game average to 5.67 with 20 in the three-game contest.

“It feels so good for the whole team to be playing with such spirit and energy right now,” Steiner said. “I think we are playing really well and just hope we are able to keep the momentum going strong.”

The Tigers took the early lead in the first game, scoring seven of the first 10 points. They capitalized on Hokie errors to extend the advantage to 19-12 before Virginia Tech responded with a three-point run. The difference remained at four as the teams traded the next six points. With Clemson ahead, 28-22, the Hokies recorded a block and a Taylor Parrish kill to narrow the gap back to four. However, Virginia Tech errors gave the Tigers their final two points of the frame for the 30-24 win.

Clemson then dominated the second game, posting 19 kills in the stanza. Steiner and Abbott each tallied four kills without an error, while Ege set the tone for the game with back-to-back aces for the 2-0 Tiger lead. Clemson widened the margin to 14-5 and then led 19-5 after a five-point run that included a third Ege ace. The Hokies rallied to avoid three game points as Jill Gergen served two aces, but Proctor sealed the 30-20 win for the Tigers with her sixth kill of the night.

Virginia Tech kept the score tight for most of the third game, but a late seven-point Clemson run put the Tigers on top 26-21. Prior to the rally, the frame had seen 10 tie scores and three lead changes. Steiner recorded two kills and also recorded a block with Abbott during the stretch, while Mansfield also posted two kills. Mansfield and Steiner combined for a block gave Clemson the 29-24 lead, but the Hokies again avoided the match point and posted two kills of their own to cut the deficit to just three points. The effort fell just short though and the Tigers claimed the game, 30-26, and their 10th victory of the season.

Taylor Parrish led Virginia Tech with 11 kills, while Jen Albrecht added 10 in the effort.

Clemson will return to action on Saturday as the Tigers play host to Virginia. The teams will take to the court at 6:00 pm.