Sports > November 11, 2004

By Boomer Kennedy

Old Gold & Black Reporter

After losing their first eight conferences matches, the Wake Forest volleyball team came into their Nov. 5 match against Clemson having won two out of their last four. The Deacs were able to keep the momentum going, knocking off the sixth-place Tigers on the road 3-1.

However, Wake Forest ran into the ACC’s top team, Georgia Tech, on Nov. 7 and were unable to stay hot, falling to the Yellow Jackets in three games. The Deacs concluded their road trip in Durham, where Duke handed them a 3-0 setback Nov. 9.

In Wake Forest’s Nov. 5 match against Clemson, the Tigers led the first game 20-14 and looked to take it from the Deacs. Wake Forest would battle back, however, to steal the game 30-28. With the Deacs up 12-11 midway through the second game, Wake Forest went on a 12-4 run to grab a comfortable 24-15 lead. The Deacs would cruise to a 30-24 victory, out-hitting Clemson 0.324 to 0.211 in the game.

After dropping the third game to the Tigers 22-30, the Deacs found themselves up 14-13 in the fourth game. Wake Forest then mounted a 7-0 run to take a 21-13 lead, calmly seizing the game, 30-20, and the match, 3-1.

Senior Kim Stern led the Deacs offensively, picking up 18 kills while posting a 0.293 hitting percentage. Redshirt junior Valerie Rydberg added 17 kills, and also finished with four service aces. Senior Morgan Havig picked up 10 kills while hitting 0.438 and junior Christy Williams came away with eight kills while posting a 0.333 hitting percentage.

Junior Erin Borhart posted a triple-double, finishing with 12 kills, 53 assists and 17 digs, while freshman Michael Faulkner added seven kills to go along with 12 digs. Rydberg led the Deacs with 22 digs, while junior Klarysa Henry contributed 20 digs and sophomore Natasha Schaefer added seven digs.

Stern was a force at the net all match, finishing with six block assists and three solo blocks for the Deacs. Havig also added five block assists while Williams contributed three block assists.

Wake Forest finished with 12 total blocks to Clemson’s seven, while out-hitting the Tigers 0.242 to 0.185.

Following an off day, the Deacs traveled to Atlanta, Ga. Nov. 7 to take on Georgia Tech, who sat atop the ACC with a perfect 13-0 conference record going into the match. Wake Forest was unable to spoil the Yellow Jackets’ perfect season, dropping three straight games by scores of 30-15, 30-22 and 30-19.

Georgia Tech posted hitting percentages above 0.400 in each of the first two games, and the Deacs finished with more attack errors than kills in the third game as Wake Forest lost their 11th conference match.

Henry led the Deacs defensively, notching 15 digs. Borhart picked up eight digs and two block assists, Stern added four digs and two block assists and Schaefer finished with five digs.

Williams finished with a team-high three block assists, while Havig contributed two block assists and sophomore Lauren Peterson added one block assist.

Williams posted a 0.462 hitting percentage, finishing with eight kills. Stern also added eight kills, while Peterson picked up seven kills and Havig supplied six. Borhart also picked up 23 assists for the Deacs.

Wake Forest was out-hit 0.364 to 0.073 by the Yellow Jackets.

The Blue Devils took the opening five points of the Deacs’ Nov. 9 match against Duke, going on to win the first game 30-17. Wake Forest would also faltered in the second game, losing 30-24 after they were out-hit by the Blue Devils 0.378 to 0.233.

In the third game, a service ace by Stern gave Wake Forest a 17-14 lead. Later, a double-block by Williams and Stern gave the Deacs a two-point lead at 26-24; however, Duke would go on a 6-1 run to steal the game, 30-27, and the match.

Stern and Borhart led Wake Forest offensively with nine kills each, while Faulkner finished with seven kills.

Borhart led the Deacs on the defensive end, notching a team-high 14 digs. Henry finished with 12 digs, while Faulkner added eight digs. Stern contributed seven digs, one solo block and three block assists, while sophomore Jenna Doane added six digs.

Havig also added four block assists, while Williams contributed two block assists. Borhart finished with 28 assists and posted her 13th double-double of the season.

With their win over Clemson and their losses to Georgia Tech and Duke, the volleyball team now stands at 11-15 overall and 3-12 in conference play. The Deacs’ final home match of the year is Nov. 13 when they host Virginia Tech at 6 p.m. in Reynolds Gym.