Sports > October 13, 2005

By Jimmy McQuilkin

Contributing Reporter

Despite tying the score 29 times in the match, the volleyball team fell 3-0 in their Oct. 7 match against the Virginia Tech Hokies. The following day, the Deacs rallied to win the second game of their match against the Virginia Cavaliers before losing 3-1 Oct. 8. In their first match of the weekend, Wake Forest rode an early 9-1 run to a 19-13 lead.  The Hokies roared back with a 7-1 run of their own to tie the score at 20 all. The game saw seven ties from this point on before a Deacon blocking error cost them the game by a score of 31-29.

The resilient Deacs continued to fight in the second game, tying the score at 10 apiece partway through.

“When you’re playing best of 5, you know that the outcome of the first game doesn’t necessarily determine the entire match. If there is one thing that our team has really been focusing on this season, it’s to fight against every team we come up against,” said senior middle blocker Christy Williams.

However, the Hokies began to wear down the Deacons and went on a 7-2 run to take a five-point lead. Wake Forest could not overcome this deficit and lost the second game 30-23.

Although they were down two games in the match, the Deacons did not lay down for their opponents in the third game. The team consistently fought back to tie the score; the last tie came at a score of 22 all. The Hokies closed the match strong, however, and won 30-24 behind a closing 8-2 run.

Williams led the Wake Forest offensive attack in the defeat, with 14 kills and seven block assists. Junior defensive specialist Natasha Shaefer had a match-high 20 digs. As a team, the Deacons finished the night with 43 kills and a .101 attack percentage, compared to Virginia Tech’s 49 kills and a .172 attack percentage.

Despite the hard-fought loss, the Deacons tried to look for positives in their defeat and look forward to their match the next day.

“To be honest, we disappointed ourselves that match. But we took what we could, learned from it, and moved on. In the ACC there is no room to dwell on a loss or you’ll never be ready for your next opponent,” Williams said.

In Saturday’s match against Virginia, Wake Forest kept the score close early in the first game before the Cavaliers surged ahead and took the game 30-20.

The second game also remained close until the 11-all mark, when the Deacons took the lead with a 6-2 run. The Cavs fought back, bringing the score to 27-24, before a pair of kills by junior right side hitter Jenna Doane helped the Deacs to hold on and take the game by a score of 30-25.

Again, the third game began close until the Cavaliers took a commanding lead behind the strength of an 11-1 run. Williams had three block assists in the game, and sophomore middle blocker Jackie Lewis added four kills, but the Deacs still dropped the set 30-20.

The Deacs may have finally tired in the fourth set, as they fell behind the Cavaliers 12-5 and could not bring the score within six points the rest of the game. Virginia closed the night and the match with a 6-1 run, taking the game 30-18.

In the loss, Lucas led the team with 12 kills, six blocks, five block assists and one block solo. Williams had six of the Deacons’ 22 block assists. The Cavaliers only had 16 block assists in their victory.

“We learned that the outcome of a game doesn’t