The NC State volleyball team was swept by the East Tennessee State Buccaneers in tight fashion in the team’s season-opener on Friday, August 27 in Knoxville, Tennessee.

The Wolfpack (0-1) lost the three sets 28-26, 28-26 and 30-28, respectively.

The first set was back-and-forth throughout, with the Pack taking its first lead at 15-14. After the Pack went up 17-16, the Buccaneers (1-1) went on a 4-0 run to go up 20-17, but the Pack then went on a 4-1 run to tie it up 21-21. Down 24-22, the Pack stayed alive and tied the score at 24, but was ultimately unable to win the set as the Buccaneers won 28-26.

The Pack scored the first four points of the second set and was in control for most of the set, holding a lead as large as seven. However, with the Pack up 21-15, the Buccaneers went on an 8-2 run to tie the score at 23 and would finish out the set, once again winning 28-26.

It was the Buccaneers’ turn to start out strong in the third set, going up 10-4, but the Pack stayed within six points the rest of the set. Down 21-15, the Pack went on a 9-3 run to tie the score at 24. Once again, however, the Buccaneers were able to close out the set, ultimately winning 30-28 to clinch the match.

The final score of the match may be deceiving as the Pack lost three incredibly tight sets, but it was just unable to find a way to win any of them.

Redshirt junior outside hitter Taylor Rowland led all players in kills with 12, senior middle blocker Pam Chukwujekwu and sophomore middle blocker Riley Shaak jointly led all players in hitting percentage at .667 and junior setter Kristen McDaniel led all players in assists with 44.

As a team, the Pack had 53 kills to the Buccaneers’ 43, but had a .186 hitting percentage to the Buccaneers’ .238 and was outblocked by the Buccaneers 13-4.

Next up for the Pack is a doubleheader on Saturday, August 28 against Texas Tech at 10 a.m. and Tennessee at 6:30 p.m., with both matches being played in Knoxville. The match against Tennessee will be broadcast on SEC Network+.