NC State volleyball returned home for a 3-1 win against Virginia Friday night at Reynolds Coliseum.
The Wolfpack (9-8, 3-4 ACC) had a slow start to the game as the Cavaliers (5-12, 1-6 ACC) took the first set 25-19.
From the second set to the fourth set, the Pack took control and swiftly ended the night in victory. The second set had some close calls in the late part of the set where the two teams battled for the lead until the Pack came out on top 25-19.
The third set was firmly in the Pack’s control that was later continued into the fourth set, earning the Pack a swift third set win of 25-19. The fourth set was the best performance by the Pack at keeping the Cavaliers in check throughout most of the set and was an easy win at 25-16.
“I thought we started slow and then we did really well,” head coach Linda Hampton-Keith said. “In sets two, three and four, we had less errors in those three sets combined than we did in set one. Clearly we started slow but I was really proud of how we came back and played much better.”
Senior setter Kylie Pickrell scored a kill to lead the Wolfpack 6-4 in the first set. That was the last time the Pack had the lead. The Cavaliers quickly climbed their way back with an eight-point run to separate themselves from the Wolfpack at 12-6.
The Pack called a timeout a little too late when the damage was 11-6. The Pack did attempt to dig itself out of the hole it had made, closing the gap as close as 17-15. Senior libero Makenzie Kuchmaner had a great one arm save from outside the court to keep the ball in play.
The Pack called its second timeout while trailing 19-15 and was able to gain a few more points before the Cavaliers ended the first set 25-19.
The second set saw the Cavaliers with a quick 5-3 lead but lost it to the Wolfpack in a five-point run 9-5.
The Wolfpack couldn’t rest easy yet as the Cavaliers soon came up from behind 11-10. The score than volleyed back and forth until the Pack pulled away 18-15, causing Virginia to call a timeout.
Despite the pause in its momentum, the Pack was not deterred by the timeout and kept the lead until the end of the set 25-19. Evans had a straight kill on the return pass from the Cavaliers to go ahead 23-17.
The Wolfpack is 8-0 when it comes to winning the second set this season.
“I feel like the second set is the set that makes or breaks teams,” senior middle blocker Teni Sopitan said. “That is where some teams decide to either play harder or just give into losing.”
The Wolfpack was out to win from the first point of the third set when it challenged the first call. Originally out of bounds, the call was reversed in favor of the Pack.
Evans had two kills in a row to lead the Pack 10-6 to which the Cavaliers responded with a timeout.
Returning to the court, freshman outside hitter Jade Parchment scored, 11-6. Parchment had eight kills but shined with 18 digs, one less than Kuchmaner had. The third set continued in the Pack’s favor as it set the pace of the match, 21-14.
A kill from Pickrell brought the Pack to set point 24-18. The Pack then closed the set 25-19.
The fourth set was a closer set as the Cavaliers held the lead 5-3, only for the Pack to take the lead 7-5 after two consecutive kills from senior middle blocker Teni Sopitan. Sopitan had 15 kills as the top scorer of the night.
With control over the set the Pack continues to increase its lead 11-7 with Virginia, once again, responded with a timeout. The timeout was ineffective as Pickrell set the ball for graduate middle blocker Kiera Moore to score for the Pack, 12-7.
The Wolfpack doubled the score when Moore hit a straight kill right down the middle of the court, 16-8.
The Cavaliers were left in the singles when the Pack increased its lead to 10 points at 19-9. That didn’t stop the Cavaliers from trying to redeem themselves, coming back 19-14 before a kill from Sopitan brought the Pack to set point 24-15.
A block from junior middle blocker Lauryn Terry and Pickrell ended the game at 25-16.
The Wolfpack managed to keep Virginia’s top scorers, sophomore Sarah Billiard and junior Jelena Novakovic, down to 12 kills each.
“We kept them down,” Evans said. “I think it was us just talking about what [Virginia] were going to do each play. Kind of getting in their heads and expecting what they were going to do really helped us.”
The Wolfpack will serve it up at home again this Sunday against No. 6 Pittsburgh at 1 p.m.
