First-Place VB Takes Epic Opener, Sweeps WF
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – After overcoming seven set pointsto win the opener, the University of Miami volleyball team rolled past WakeForest in the next two sets to pick up a road sweep on Friday at Reynolds Gym.The Canes won by the scores of 31-29, 25-17 and 25-19 and have now won the lastnine sets over the Demon Deacons.
Miamiimproved to 22-4 on the season and 13-2 in the Atlantic Coast Conference tomaintain a first-place tie with Florida State, while Wake Forest fell to 10-18and 4-12.
“Everymatch in the ACC is challenging,” head coach Nicole Lantagne Welch said. “Wewere able to win a tough first set and then turn it up after that. It was abalanced attack with some nice production off the bench.”
Junioroutside hitter Taylor Hollins and sophomore middle blocker Alexis Mourning eachhad 12 kills to lead all players on the night. Miami hit .223 as a team and had13 more kills than WF (48-35).
Orchestratingthe offense, senior setter Nrithya Sundararaman had 38 assists to six differentplayers, while picking up three kills in four attacks. Junior libero RyanShaffer continued her stellar play in the back row with 19 digs.
Inits longest set of the season, Miami needed 31 points to take the opening framefor 13th time in the last 14 matches. The Deacons were on the brinkwith a 24-21 lead, but the Mourning put down kills on the next three points toeven it up. The teams then went back-and-forth with WF having four more chancesto close it out and Miami one before a service ace by sophomore outside hitterSavanah Leaf ended the marathon set on the 60th point.
Withthe momentum in hand, the Hurricanes dominated the next two sets to pick up thevictory. There were only three ties and one lead change in the final twoframes.
FreshmenKelsie Groot and Awele Nwaeze provided a spark off the bench for UM with acombined eight kills. It was the 22nd win in the last 23 Fridaymatches for the Canes.
Miamiwill next turn around and play at Duke on Saturday at 7 p.m. The Canes defeatedthe Blue Devils in four sets earlier this season at the Knight Sports Complex.
Single-gametickets to home volleyball matches are available for as low as $3. Call1-800-GO-CANES to order your tickets today. For all the latest information onMiami Hurricanes volleyball, follow the official Twitter feed, @CanesVB, or”Like Us” on Facebook at facebook.com/MiamiHurricanes.
