Sports > October 30, 2008

By Tori Stewart | Staff writer

Wake dominated Boston College in three matches on Friday, Oct. 24 to end its four game losing streak, improving its record to 14-8 overall and 5-5 in the conference. The Eagles drop to 6-16 overall and remain winless in the ACC.

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Sophomore Kelsey Jones sets the ball in a home match. This season, Jones has started in all 83 games and has recorded 888 assists. (Mary Kate Wagner/Old Gold & Black)

The match started by honoring graduate student Natalie Mullikin for setting the school record for total blocks. She recorded six blocks for the night and led the team with nine kills.

Junior Sally Fischer contributed seven digs and five service aces. Sophomore Kelsey Jones doled out 28 assists for the night, while junior Abby Miller and freshman Cambrey Oehler led the defense with 12 and eight digs, respectively.

For the Deacons, 12 girls saw playing time, including redshirt sophomore Kate Rodriguez who recorded her first kill for the season.

Down in the first set 1-2, the Deacs took the lead and surged ahead for a 25-9 win over the Eagles. With an 11-2 run sparked by a Boston College attack error and a 9-2 run led by senior Ashley Homitz’s kill, Wake took control of the game and finished the set with a kill by freshman Kadija Fornah for a side out and a service ace from sophomore libero Megan Thornberry for the set point.

Wake lost its momentum during the second set, letting the Eagles carry the lead for most of the set. The score was tied 10 times throughout the set, and the Deacons did not reclaim the lead until a Boston College attack error led to a 23-22 score. A service ace from Fischer and a kill from sophomore Lauren McIntyre led to the final 25-22 recording for the set.

After the break, the Deacons regained their composure, once again defeating the Eagles by a score of 25-13 and sealing the match in their favor.

In this set, Rodriguez recorded her kill, and freshman Carlin Salmon also recorded one. McIntyre recorded four kills on five attempts this set, and Fischer had three of her five service aces.

Eagle errors and a poor hitting percentage aided Wake to victory. The Deacons committed 11 errors for the match, while the Eagles doubled that with 22 errors and only a .040 hitting percentage.

Wake Forest continued the victory streak as they defeated Maryland in three sets Oct. 25.

The night served as the third annual Dig for a Cure match, where fans could donate money for each dig Wake recorded. With 52 total digs on the night, the Deacs raised an estimated $11,000 for the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

Fischer recorded a career-high 12 digs, and Thornberry added 15, the team high for the night, to lead the defense. Jones and Mullikin teamed up to dominate the offense, recording 34 assists and 11 kills, respectively. Homitz and White each contributed eight kills, while Fornah and McIntyre added seven apiece.

With six total stuffs, Mullikin lead the team in blocking for the night, and she now pulls to within 15 blocks of breaking her second school record, block assists, currently held by Margaret Davidson at 388.

Maryland and Wake battled for control of the first set. With the score tied at seven, Wake grabbed a 17-9 lead, but the Terrapins fought back with an 11-1 run of its own to take the lead at 20-18. Two kills from Homitz and a kill from White, along with a service ace from Fischer, wrapped up the victory for Wake at 25-21.

The Deacs opened the second set with an 11-1 run of their own, giving them a 14-4 lead. Maryland fought back, pulling to within 6 at 15-9, but with Fischer’s first kill of the season along with a block and two kills from Mullikin, Wake regained its 10 point advantage at 21-11.

Close to finishing the set, Wake temporarily got stuck in a rut, letting the Terps go on an 8-2 run to cut the lead to four points at 23-19. McIntyre’s kill rekindled the Deacs, bringing them to the set point and battling to defeat the Terps, Mullikin and White then earned the final point with a block, finishing the set at 25-21.

Mullikin spurred Wake to an early lead in the third set with three kills, and Wake would run with the lead. Maryland, however, did not plan on handing Wake an easy victory, and with an 8-3 run, they pulled to within two points of the Deacs at 17-15. The Deacs fought aggressively to maintain the lead, even as the Terrapins pulled within one point at 24-23. Jones finished the set and match with a surprise attack, recording her first kill of the night.

After handing Maryland its 10th straight loss, the Deacons’ record improves to 15-8 overall, 6-5 in the ACC.

Wake travels to Florida State on Oct. 31 and Miami on Nov. 2.

Florida State is currently tied with four other teams for first place in the ACC.