NC State volleyball toppled No. 5 Louisville 3-1 on Sunday, Oct. 1 to collect its only win over a top-five opponent in program history.
The Wolfpack (13-2, 3-1 ACC) handed the Cardinals (12-2, 3-1 ACC) its first ACC loss of the season as it claimed a 3-1 victory by winning sets one, two and four. Standout performances by junior opposite hitter Amanda Rice and sophomore outside hitter Ava Brizard, who combined for a total of 30 kills, were instrumental in the monumental win.
The energy was palpable as Wolfpack fans filled Reynolds Coliseum for the highly anticipated matchup, creating an unforgettable atmosphere for both players and spectators alike.
“It was just electric; I have never seen that many fans in here before,” Rice said. “At this rate we should just be a volleyball school.”
The first set consisted of an early back-and-forth battle between the two teams. Louisville struggled with errors, allowing NC State to find its rhythm with a strong defensive effort. Rice, typically not known for recording digs, displayed exceptional defensive skills to keep a possession alive until Brizard ended it with a kill.
NC State took the first set by a score of 25-19 after redshirt junior outside hitter Madison Williams sealed the set with a kill. Williams, along with sophomore outside hitter Courtney Bryant, made substantial contributions to the win, displaying a balanced mix of both defense and offense.
“[Bryant and Williams have] gone through a lot — injuries and trying to find their self-confidence,” said head coach Luka Slabe. “They showed up tonight and we’re proud of them.”
Louisville raised the stakes in the second, keeping the gap to just one point for the majority of the set. However, NC State remained resilient, frustrating the top-ranked team as the Cardinals struggled to break away. Rice was exceptional towards the end of the set, recording three of the final five points for NC State to lead the team to a 25-21 win.
The Wolfpack narrowly missed a sweep in the third set, which proved to be a challenging battle as Louisville fought tooth-and-nail to stay in the match. NC State faced deficits of up to five points during the set, but once the starters returned to the floor, the Pack clawed its way back in. Brizard, Bryant and Rice combined for six points in the final moments of the set but could only come within one, allowing Louisville to collect its only set victory of the day by a score of 25-22.
Despite losing the third set, the Wolfpack maintained its momentum, leading to a dominant 25-15 victory in the fourth set to seal the win. In this set, NC State outperformed Louisville in all facets of the game, with nothing the Cardinals threw at it proving effective.
“We’ve been working for this moment,” Rice said. “I know Louisville’s a big name in the volleyball world but NC State should be [too].”
The Wolfpack is fully aware of its success and what it signifies not only for the program, but also for its opponents.
“[The] target is on our back,” Slabe said. “Teams are going to come after us; we’ve got to be ready.”
Next up, the Wolfpack travels to Florida for matches against Miami at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 6 and Florida State at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 8.
