NC State volleyball ended its first day of the Wolfpack-Camels Invitational with a loss against Utah Valley Friday night in Reynolds Coliseum.
The Pack (4-3) and the Wolverines (8-3) had a close match for every single set that was played. The Pack was able to claim the first set 25-23 before falling short to the Wolverines in the second and third set, 25-21 and 25-23 respectively. The Pack managed to dig itself out the disadvantage it had gotten into in the fourth set when the team was able to hold onto the lead long enough in the end to force a fifth set 25-21. The fifth set went to the Wolverines 15-9 to finish the match.
“We let down 2-1 and then coming back in the fourth showed a lot of resiliency and we just couldn’t quite get ourselves going in set five,” head coach Linda Hampton-Keith said. “I kept telling them we fought. I was proud of our fight, however, we came up against a team that was willing to fight a little more, a little longer at times.”
The first set was highly competitive, with Utah Valley retaining a slight lead until the first media timeout when the game was a tight 17-16. The Pack relied on its veteran leadership early on. Eleven of NC State’s first 15 points were scored either by sophomore outside hitter Melissa Evans or senior middle blocker Teni Sopitan.
Redshirt freshman outside hitter Kristen Chatman stepped up to serve, and two aces and one attack error later, NC State had its first real lead of the game. Once ahead the Pack didn’t look back, winning the set 25-23. Once again veteran leadership came into play as Sopitan scored three of NC State’s last four points to seal the deal.
The second set began just like the first, with the two teams trading points. Up 9-6, it began to look like the Wolverines might pull away, but Sopitan stopped the bleeding with a kill. With the Pack trailing 17-16, Sopitan again stepped up with a kill and a block that gave NC State the lead.
The Wolverines fought back, and with a kill from their outside hitter Kazna Tarawhiti they took a 21-19 lead. Up 24-21, Tarawhiti tied the match at one set each with a block on Evans.
New set, same story. NC State and Utah Valley went back and forth, the volleyball equivalent of slugfest between two prize fighters. Each side took the other’s best shot and found that neither was too much better than the other. Over time it seemed the Wolfpack tired out, mentally or physically—perhaps both.
Utah Valley slowly created an 18-14 advantage, prompting a timeout from the Pack. Out of the time out Utah Valley seized control, scoring three straight and causing third-year head coach Hampton-Keith to call yet another time out. This one did the trick, as the Pack came roaring back to bring the game within one, 23-22.
Despite the momentum of the Pack coupled with the crowd finally coming alive, the Wolverines scored two straight and took the set.
In the fourth set, the Pack jumped out to a 6-2 lead but quickly saw it dwindle to a two point edge, which lasted the majority of the set. Towards the tail end, consecutive mental errors gave the Wolverines their first lead, 17-16. That would also be their last lead of the set, as the Pack pulled away yet again and ended the set with a kill from redshirt senior outside hitter Erin Chatman.
With the Wolfpack taking away the Wolverines two set advantage, the teams go into the fifth set to find out which team can make it to 15 points first.
It didn’t look good for the Pack when the Wolverines took the lead 8-4. And at 10-6, the Wolverines morale kept their momentum going, shutting out the Pack.
The Wolverines managed to prevent the Pack from reaching double digits when they reached match point for the set and the game 14-9. Despite the Pack’s efforts to claw its way back, it was futile as an attack error ended the game 15-9.
“I don’t feel like we played 100 percent,” Sopitan said. “In this game we had way more errors than in the first game [today, against Wright State]… We knew that they were going to come in and want to beat us and they did because we let them beat us. We had to be cognizant of treating each game the same, knowing that teams aren’t going to roll over.”
The Wolfpack will return to wrap up the Invitational against Campbell at Reynolds Coliseum this Sunday at 2 p.m.
