The volleyball team extended its ACC losing streak to 43 by losing to Virginia and Virginia Tech on the road this weekend. The Cavaliers swept N.C. State 3-0 in Charlottesville on Friday, and Tech defeated the Wolfpack 3-1 on Saturday in Blacksburg.
The loss to the Hokies dropped State to 3-16 overall and 0-9 in ACC play. The Pack’s last ACC win came Oct. 21, 2005.
Lauren Zaniboni and Chrissy Zirpolo led State with 16 kills each against Virginia Tech. Allison Davis delivered 29 assists, while Lindsay Benac had 14 digs.
Virginia Tech (11-9, 5-5 ACC) out-blocked the Pack 13-8 and won three straight games after losing the first game. Jen Albrecht led Tech with 17 kills, and she had a .324 hitting percentage.
State got a service ace from Nikki Sweet on the first play of the match and exchanged points with the Hokies throughout the first game before winning it 30-27 on a Zaniboni kill.
“The first game was really exciting,” coach Charita Stubbs said. “We went out and played the way we were capable of playing.”
Zaniboni also said the first game was a positive step.
“We were playing like we knew what was going on, and we were expecting to win,” Zaniboni said of the first game.
The second game would prove to be a different story, however, as Tech surged to an early 9-3 advantage before State cut the lead to four at 11-7. The Pack would never get closer as it lost 30-16.
“Virginia Tech definitely stepped up their play,” Stubbs said.
Virginia Tech capitalized on Wolfpack errors throughout the final two games and won the match with an overall .230 hitting clip against State’s .087 hitting percentage.
“We started to miss sets again and we weren’t doing the things we know we know how to do, and we lost,” Zaniboni said. “We just need to work on pulling together a little more.”
The Pack lost 30-28 in the third game before dropping the match with a 30-17 defeat in the fourth game.
State finished with four service aces, two from Zirpolo, and had a .924 serving percentage in the loss, the Pack’s 15th straight. The fact it was the 43rd consecutive ACC loss for the Wolfpack isn’t significant, according to Zaniboni.
“I don’t think the past is so important, especially since we’re a young team. We just need to focus on what we’ve got coming,” she said. “The coaches don’t remind us of [the streak]. I only count the ones that I’ve been here for.”
After a weekend in Virginia, the Pack will host both ACC teams from Florida this weekend, Miami at 6 p.m. on Friday and Florida State on Saturday. Zaniboni said she is confident about the upcoming matches.
“We’re pretty confident.” she said. “I think they are both definitely teams we can beat, and we’re going to be at home too. So that will help us out because of our home crowd.”
