Canes Comeback Falls Short

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Miami volleyball forced its third straight five-set match on Friday against NC State, but fell short after staving off two match points in the fifth. 
 
For the second time this season, both Kennedy Prince and Savannah Vach registered double-doubles in the same match. The duo have each recorded six, totaling 12 of Miami’s 13. Vach finished the match tying her career high with 58 assists and 10 digs, while Prince finished with 12 kills and 14 digs. Miami also matched its season high with 12 aces, led by Amanda Falck who tied her career high with three and Priscilla Hernandez who set a career high with three. 
 
Miami dropped the first two sets of the match, 25-20 and 25-23. NC State’s Melissa Evans recorded 11 of her 23 kills after the first two, while both Janet Kalaniuvalu and Madison Dill each tallied seven. The Canes boasted six team-blocks in the second, including holding the Pack to just two, but it was NC State who took the 2-0 lead. 
 
The Hurricanes’ offense dominated the third set, hitting .361 and recorded 18 kills. Both teams registered four aces, but Miami took four of the final five points to cut into NC State’s lead. 
 
With the score tied 11 times and eight lead changes, the fourth set was near even from both sides. NC State recorded 16 kills to Miami’s 15, but it was the Canes who hit .286 to the Pack’s .263. Miami took advantage of three additional aces and three team blocks to force its third straight five-set match this season. Kalaniuvalu added six of her team-leading 22 kills in the fourth. 
 
The Hurricanes held its biggest lead in the fifth off Hernandez’s third ace at 8-5. NC State held a three-point run to tie the set and took momentum late. At match point, a service error by the Pack followed by Kalaniuvalu’s second ace tied the set at 14. NC State would take the match after a Canes’ service and attack error, 16-14.
 
Miami travels to Louisville on Nov. 24 for its final road match of the season.