Volleyball Tames the Wolfpack, 3-0
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami volleyball team swept NC State in the James L. Knight Sports Complex Friday Knight to hand the Wolfpack its second ACC defeat of the season.
For the second straight match, the Hurricanes (13-4, 7-4 ACC) entered the third set with a 2-0 lead, only this time they left no doubt, closing out visiting NC State (14-8, 9-2 ACC) 27-25, 25-22, 25-21 to get back on winning ways and climb up the conference standings.
“Notre Dame was a good team, as is NC State, but [as opposed to Sunday] we were more aware of what we need to do to finish the match, that was the big thing today,” senior outside hitter Olga Strantzali said.
“I just like the way we competed and think that we got better over the course of the match in the things we worked in practice,” Miami head coach Jose “Keno” Gandara said. “Every match in the ACC is a challenge and this match was another one of those.”
Strantzali and Templeton led the way offensively for Miami, contributing match-high 20 kills and 37 assists, respectively. The outside hitter achieved the feat after committing just one attack error on the night for a phenomenal match-best and season-high .514 hitting percentage.
Junior outside hitter Kolby Bird contributed double figures as well to Miami’s 62 kills, compared to NC State’s 56. The Hurricanes also committed eight fewer errors than the Wolfpack to be twice as efficient than NC State, which hit .114 in the contest.
Senior libero Sylvia Hernandez posted match-high 19 digs, while Strantzali bagged another double-double after tallying 10 digs. Defensive contribution came from all across the lineup, however, with three more players grabbing at least eight digs: Templeton (9), Bird (8), and senior outside hitter Brooke McDermott (8).
McDermott was also Miami’s strongest defender at the net, recording a match-best and new career-high of seven blocks as the Hurricanes dominated their opponent, 12-5.
“Brooke had a great blocking day today,” Templeton said. “She was really working really hard all week at practice and really focusing on being over [the net] and being on time. Her hard work really showed in today’s match.”
Middle blockers Lucia Pampana and Sakile Simmons also gave the Wolfpack hitters a tough time and contributed six and five blocks, respectively, for the win.
With the win, the Hurricanes improved to 13-4 on the year and 7-4 in ACC play. The win also marked the 20th win for Miami in the all-time series with NC State.
Offensively, senior Olga Strantzali led the way offensively for the Hurricanes with a match-high 20 kills. Redshirt junior Haley Templeton also chipped in with 37 assists.
Miami took a 1-0 match advantage thanks to a 27-25 victory in set one. The Hurricanes had 18 kills in the opening set and committed just three errors to hit .375. They closed out the opening set on a high note, claiming six of the final eight points after trailing 23-21. Strantzali led the way for Miami with nine kills, while Templeton chipped in with 13 assists.
Set two saw the Hurricanes continue their momentum from the opening frame and they led for the most of the set, by as many as five points at 20-15. The Wolfpack charged back by claiming seven of the following nine points to even the set at 22 apiece. After withstanding the Wolfpack’s furious rally the Hurricanes put together a run themselves, as they won the final three points to claim the set.
Miami completed the three-game sweep in the third set with a 25-21 triumph. The Hurricanes trailed 17-16 midway through the frame, but then responded in a big way, claiming five straight points to open up a 21-17 advantage that it would not relinquish. A block by McDermott and Simmons for 25-21 put the icing on the cake and wrapped up Miami’s 20th win in the all-time series against the Wolfpack.
“It means so much to be able to beat [ACC’s] No. 1 NC State,” Templeton said after the team’s fifth sweep of the season and second in conference play. “It shows that we are ready to play and that we keep improving with every practice and week.”
Miami is back on its home floor on Sunday, as the Hurricanes will play host to North Carolina for another ACC clash. The match is set to begin at 1 p.m.
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