@CanesVB Outlasts Virginia Tech, 3-2
BLACKSBURG, Va. – The University of Miami volleyball team prevailed in a five-set battle on the road at Virginia Tech on Friday night.
The Hurricanes (15-6, 8-3 ACC) took the opening set, 25-22, thanks to a balanced attack that saw six Canes record kills against the Hokies. But Virginia Tech evened the match at one set apiece with a 25-19 victory in the second set.
The Hokies took a 2-1 lead in the match with a 25-16 victory in the third set, but a resilient Miami team took the fourth set 25-17 to force a decisive fifth set against Virginia Tech. The Hurricanes closed out the five-set victory with a 15-13 win in the fifth set that gave Miami its eighth win over its previous nine matches.
Kelsie Groot was a major contributor for the Hurricanes on Friday night, tallying 13 kills and 15 digs to record her seventh double-double of the season. The junior also led the Canes with a .414 attack percentage and added three blocks against the Hokies.
Senior Taylor Scott led all Canes with 18 kills. The senior also had four digs, a block and an ace, while sophomore Olga Strantzali added six kills and 10 digs against Virginia Tech.
Middle blockers Alexis Mourning and Sakile Simmons were solid for the Hurricanes. Mourning recorded nine kills, two block and three digs, while Simmons added five kills and a team-high six blocks.
Setter Haley Templeton dished out 49 assists, adding three kills, two blocks and an ace, while senior libero Kalysta White led all Canes with 21 digs and added four assists and an ace.
Miami also got a boost from several reserves as Anna Haak, Kolby Bird, Caitilin Donahoe and Codi Lee contributed off the bend in different ways. Bird recorded three kills and a block, while Haak added a kill and a block. Lee, along with sophomore defensive specialist Sylvia Hernandez, combined for five digs.
The Canes will open the month of November with a 1 p.m. match at Pitt on Sunday. Following this weekend’s road trip, the Canes will return to Coral Gables for a six-match homestand beginning next week against Florida State and Virginia.
Miami will host the rival Seminoles at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 4, and the visiting Cavaliers on Friday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m. Louisville, Notre Dame, Duke and Wake Forest will also travel to Miami during the six-match homestand that runs through Nov. 22. All Miami home matches are played at the James L. Knight Sports Complex on the University of Miami campus and admission is free.
For all the latest information on Miami Hurricanes volleyball, follow the official Twitter feed, @CanesVB, or “Like Us” on Facebook at facebook.com/UMVolleyball. The program is also on Instagram.
