The NC State volleyball team began ACC conference play this weekend with losses against the University of Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech.
The Wolfpack (11-3, 0-2 ACC) lost to the Pittsburgh Panthers (12-2, 2-0 ACC) 3-1 (25-12, 26-24, 25-21, 25-19) Friday night in Pittsburgh.
It was difficult to find rhythm in the first set, but the second set proved to be better for the Wolfpack. NC State took a 5-1 lead, but Pittsburgh fought back. During the second set, the score was tied 11 times with four lead changes. State came back from 19-22 with five unanswered points before an attacking error by Pitt gave the Pack the set.
The NC State team broke a program record with 20 blocks on the match. Sophomore middle blocker Kaitlyn Kearney led the Pack with 12 of the 20. The previous record stood at 19, dating back to 2007 against Boston College.
Wolfpack volleyball then traveled to Blacksburg, Virginia, to take on the Hokies Sunday afternoon.
The first set started with the Pack taking a 5-1 lead. Freshman Kassie Kasper served strong with a service ace, forcing a Virginia Tech timeout.
Kills by sophomores Julia Brown, Perry Ramsey and Kearney brought the first set score up to 17-13, with the Hokies edging their way back. Junior setter Maggie Speaks had a kill, and Kasper had another service ace, keeping the Pack ahead by eight (21-13). An attack error by Tech gave the first set to the Wolfpack (25-15).
The Hokies took the start of the second set by storm jumping to an 8-3 lead forcing an NC State timeout. A block by Brown and senior setter Tanna Aljoe along with a kill by freshman Blayke Hranicka got the Pack to 5-9.
The Hokies’ lead extended to 17-10 before another Wolfpack timeout was called. Virginia Tech took the set 25-13 with a Hokie kill and two attack errors by State.
NC State got the first point of the third set with a kill by Hranicka, but the points quickly went back and forth until Tech took an early lead 10-6.
Kills by Kearney and Brown edged the Pack back to 10-12. A timeout for State was called with the score at 11-15. Hranicka and Brown were tough at the net, bringing NC State up to 17-18 before the Hokies called a timeout.
The score tied five times before Tech took the third set 25-23.
The Wolfpack took an early 8-4 lead in the fourth set before Tech called a timeout. Service errors by the Hokies extended the NC State lead to 12-7. A kill by Brown forced a Hokie timeout at 20-17. After three errors by State, the score tied at 21 and another Pack timeout was called. The score tied again at 22 and at 24 before Virginia Tech pulled away to take the set 26-24 and the match 3-1.
Freshman Teni Sepitan made an appearance in both the third and fourth sets of the Tech match.
Hranicka and Kearney had 13 kills in the game, and Brown had a total of 12.
NC State’s next game is against Wake Forest at Broughton High School Friday.
