No. 21 Miami Volleyball Upends Upset-Minded NC State

RALEIGH, N.C. – The 21st-ranked Miami Volleyball team won the final two sets and earned a hard-fought road win Friday night at NC State, 3-2, in Atlantic Coast Conference action inside venerable Reynolds Coliseum. The 25-16, 19-25, 23-25, 27-25, 15-12 victory improved the Hurricanes to 14-1 on the year and 5-1 in ACC play, while the Wolfpack fell to 14-5 and 2-4 in the ACC.

After cruising in the opening set, the Hurricanes found themselves in unfamiliar territory Friday as they entered a fourth set staring at defeat for just the second time this year. However, just as the last time at LSU, Miami went on to win the fourth set in dramatic fashion, only to then take the fifth set as well.

NC State freshman Nicole Glass served for match point with her team leading 25-24 in the fourth frame. She promptly miscued on the serve, allowing UMiami sophomore right side Alex Johnson (Tallahassee, Fla.) and senior middle blocker Ali Becker (Katy, Texas) to combine for the block on the Wolfpack’s Becah Fogle, pushing the Canes in front. A kill from Becker sealed the set and moved the match into a fifth and final frame.

In the fifth, it was all about three-time ACC Player of the Week Lane Carico (Manhattan Beach, Calif.). The All-America senior outside hitter put down six kills in the set, while classmate Christine Williamson (Tampa, Fla.) recorded three timely kills in the win. For Williamson, no kill was bigger than the final one off the NC State block to seal the match.

Carico headlined the Hurricanes attack in the win, connecting for a team-high 15 kills. Becker hit at a .312 clip as she registered a season-high tying 13 kills and season-high eight blocks. Williamson joined her teammates in double figures with 10 kills.

Two Miami players collected 20-plus digs, as Carico sprawled out for a season-high 22, and it was sophomore libero Ryan Shaffer (San Jose, Calif.) reeling in 21. Carico collected her 10th double-double of the campaign – her fifth consecutive. As for Shaffer, she picked up her third match with at least 20 kills on the season.

Redshirt senior setter Katie Gallagher (Winter Park, Fla.) handed out 51 assists and Johnson had an all-around performance for UMiami with eight kills, five assists, three service aces, 11 digs and six blocks.

NC State was led by Nicole Glass with a match-high 21 kills, and Dariyan Hopper reached double figures with 11 kills.

Miami returns to action Sunday, Oct. 9 when it plays North Carolina in Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels fell Friday night to Florida State, 3-1. First serve is set for 1 p.m. with live stats provided through Game Tracker at TarHeelBlue.com.

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