UM Volleyball Falls in Five to Virginia Tech, 3-2

Sept. 27, 2009

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Coral Gables, Fla. – Justine Record had a match-high 19 kills to lead the Virginia Tech Hokies past the Miami Hurricanes, 3-2 (27-29, 25-21, 22-25, 29-27, 15-11), Sunday afternoon in an ACC volleyball matchup at the James L. Knight Sports Complex in Coral Gables, Fla.

Despite posting a season-high 15.5 blocks as a team, Miami (8-5, 1-2 ACC) was unable to get the timely blocks when needed to stop the Virginia Tech hitting attack. The Hokies rode Justine Record to the win as the California native posted a .229 clip on the day.

Virginia Tech (11-3, 1-2 ACC) rallied behind two kills from Kirsty Blue to pull ahead in the opening set, 15-14, before Record registered a kill to later move the Hokies up, 17-14. Virginia Tech stretched the lead to 18-14 following a service ace from Kirsten Higareda, who served seven consecutive points for the Hokies.

With UM trailing 20-15, the `Canes battled back with help from Becker and Lane Carico, as well as a block assist from Ariell Cooke, moving ahead, 25-24, off a kill from Lici McGee.

With the opening set tied at 27-all, Miami used back-to-back Hokies errors, including blocks from McGee and setter Nrithya Sundararaman to take the win, 29-27.

In the second set, the teams settled in for the long haul as the frame saw 10 ties and six lead changes, most notably with UM battling back from a 9-8 deficit to surge out to a 12-9 advantage off consecutive Virginia Tech attack errors. Three-straight Miami errors allowed the Hokies to regain the lead, 13-12.

Virginia Tech never relinquished the lead down the stretch as Record posted four kills and the `Canes were forced into nine attack errors to allow the Hokies the second set win, 25-21. Carico and Becker both tallied three kills for the Hurricanes in the set, while Betsy Horowitz tied Record with four kills to the lead the Hokies.

The third set saw Virginia Tech outhit their counterparts, .308-to-.219, but the `Canes used a big 5-0 run at the start off two Maria Andersson service aces to gain momentum–and never look back. UM stretched its lead to 10-3 when Carico added a service ace to the back line of the Hokies’ defense.

The Hokies raced back into the set at 12-10 when Horowitz and Record combined for kills, but Miami quickly responded with Christine Williamson pounding one of her five kills on the day to stop the Hokies run, 13-10.

The `Canes never trailed in the third set, eventually holding off the Hokies with three consecutive errors charged to Virginia Tech down the stretch–added a kill from Carico, to end the set, giving UM the win at 25-22.

In the fourth set, Miami raced out to a quick 9-3 advantage behind a service ace from freshman Lizzie Hale, as well as five Virginia Tech errors–including a block from McGee.

With UM holding a 19-17 advantage late in the set, Jennifer Wilker came back off the bench to register a two of her set-high 10 kills to bring the Hokies even at 19-19. Miami stepped back out to a 23-21 lead, but the Hokies were there to answer with Cara Baarendse and Wilker to knot the set, 25-25.

The set was tied again at 27-27 before Wilker and Record collected back-to-back kills to give Virginia Tech the set-win, 29-27.

With the match going to the decisive fifth set, Miami held a 4-1 lead when McGee, Carico and Cooke all stepped up for blocks at the net off an attack from the Hokies’ Felicia Willoughby.

However, the Hokies were not going away quietly as they went on a 4-0 run to take an 8-6 advantage with Wilker blasting consecutive kills. Miami tied the set at 8-8 with the help of yet another block by sophomore Becker, as well as an assisted block from freshman Sundararaman.

Virginia Tech proved too much down the stretch, however, as Willoughby and Record each took kills to close the match, giving Virginia Tech the set, 15-11.

For the Hurricanes, they drop their second heartbreaking five-set loss of the year on consecutive weekends, falling to Notre Dame last Sunday in Tallahassee, Fla.

Virginia Tech was led on the day by Record’s 19-kill, 13-dig performance. Wilker and Willoughby each totaled 17 kills, while Baarendse added 11 kills. Setter Erin Leaser, the ACC’s leader in assists, picked up 60 assists, while libero Jill Gergen pulled in a match-high 22 digs.

Miami was led in kills by Carico with 18, as she also tallied 16 digs and two blocks for her third-straight double-double performance. Behind her in double-figures for kills was Becker with 13, adding four digs and six assisted blocks.

Andersson had seven kills to aid the UM cause, also recording a career-high five blocks (two solo) and 11 digs. Sundararaman had a double-double day with 44 assists and 11 digs, as well as two block assists.

Miami will be back in action next weekend, hosting Clemson in an ACC showdown on Oct. 2 at 7 p.m. back in the James L. Knight Sports Complex.

For more information on the University of Miami Volleyball team, please log on to www.hurricanesports.com. Once there, you will find up-to-date news, stats and information regarding the Hurricanes Volleyball program.