Sports > December 2, 2004

By Ryan Durham

Old Gold & Black Reporter

The volleyball team participated in three games between Nov. 18 and Nov. 27, including one in the ACC Tournament on Nov. 18 against seventh-seeded Maryland.

The Deacs traveled to Charlottesville, Va. to play the Terps in the first round of the ACC Tournament.

Wake Forest split games with Maryland during the regular season and was confident going into the game.

Wake Forest started off behind in game one, but thanks to three kills they managed to take a small lead. The Terps steamrolled back with a 6-0 run but did not overcome the Deacs’ lead. Maryland managed to come within one point but a quick kill gave Wake Forest the game 30-28.

The two teams fought back and forth in game two, tying the score a total of eight times until a 4-0 run by Maryland. This put the Terps up 11-13. Wake’s deficit was then compounded by another Maryland run leaving the score at 16-23. Wake Forest attempted to rally back with a 6-0 run but it was not enough to top the Terps, who won the game 26-30.

Although the Deacons were able to tie the score at 10-10, Maryland then took control of game three. After a 6-0 run, Wake Forest could not recover from the deficit, losing the game 22-30.

Despite an early Terrapin lead, the Deacons managed to keep the fourth game of the match close. A kill by senior Kim Stern and then four straight points with her at the line brought the game to a two-point difference. A block and a kill then tied the game at 19-all.

The two teams tied the score 6 times after this point, but Wake Forest succumbed to the Terps after a kill losing the game and the match 27-30 and 1-3.

Junior Erin Borhart garnered her seventh triple-double of the season with 12 kills, 47 assists and 13 digs. Stern and sophomore Natasha Schaefer put in team highs, with Stern recording 15 kills and Schaefer recording 18 digs.

“We played a hard game and left it all out on the court,” Stern said. “Unfortunately it did not work out this game and it was a hard way to end the season.”

Senior Morgan Havig also managed seven block-assists and two solo-blocks. Freshman Michael Faulkner received her fourth double-double of the season with 12 kills and 12 digs.

The team traveled to Queens, N.Y. Nov. 26 for the St. Johns Classic Tournament. In the first game of the tourney the Deacs faced off against the Tigers of Towson University.

The Deacons lost the first two games of the match with scores of 20-30 and 22-30 at the hands of a very strong Tiger team.

They attempted to push a game four with a win in the third game of the match. Wake Forest took Towson into extra points but was unable to pull out a win, falling 30-32.

The Deacs were lead in the match by Stern, who recorded 13 kills and seven digs, junior Lauren Peterson had eight kills and sophomore Klarysa Henry, who had eight digs.

The loss dropped Wake Forest to 12-17 on the season.

The team returned to action on Nov. 27 against the Red Storm of St. John’s in the consolation match of the tournament.

The Deacs came out strong in the first two games winning the game one and two, 30-24 and 30-23 respectively.

St. John’s managed to rally in game three, pushing it into extra points and winning the match 32-34.

Wake Forest quickly put an end to any of St. John’s hopes with a 30-15 win to take game four and the match.

Borhart was just one dig away from another triple-double with nine. She also recorded 14 kills and 52 assists in the game.

“We struggled on Friday night (Nov. 26) but rebounded and played well as a team,” said Borhart.

Schaefer tallied 18 digs and junior Christy Williams, freshman Jackie Lucas and Stern all had three block assists.

Stern also managed to end her career at Wake Forest on a very positive note with her sixth double-double of the season after recording 15 kills and 15 digs.

The Deacons end their season with 13-17, a record that does not reflect the ferocity of their play. Although crippled by injuries to key players, they resiliently carried on and learned from their slump in the season