Sports > April 17, 2008

By Hailey Robbins | Staff writer

The Demon Deacons volleyball team concluded their season 22-4, finishing with an 8-0 record at the close of their third home invitational meet April 12-14. Wake set the tone for the day with decisive two game sweeps against Radford, UNC-Wilmington, William & Mary and High Point University.

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Junior defensive specialist Sally Fischer receives a serve at one of the home tournaments this spring. The team went an impressive 8-0 in its last spring tournament of the season. (Andrew Imboden/Old Gold & Black)

Junior Sally Fischer led the team defensively with an average of 4.63 digs per game, with junior Abby Miller and sophomore Megan Thornberry closely behind with an average of 3.75 digs.

Freshman Kelsey Jones averaged 3.25 digs per game and set the team with a .319 hitting efficiency, the highest all season. The recipients of Jones’ sets, senior Ashley Hormitz and redshirt senior Natalie Mullikin, averaged 2.63 and 4.88 kills per game, respectively. Hormitz concluded the day with a .364 hitting percentage, and Mullikin with a .524 hitting percentage, averaging 1.19 blocks per game.

Following their final match until the fall season, Head Coach Heather Kahl Holmes hosted a banquet for the team, naming recipients of Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year, Best Offensive Player, Best Defensive Player, the Deacon Award, the Dedication Award and the Academic Award.

Mullikin was named MVP and Best Offensive for the 2007-2008 season with her record breaking performance over the season. Mullikin, named first team All-ACC and selected to the ACC All-Academic Team, was one of only seven athletes in the ACC to be chosen for both teams.

She concluded the season as the Demon Deacon leader and top 10 ranked in the ACC in kills, blocks and hitting percentage.

She broke a 21-year standing record of 35 block solos, while being on the top five for several other volleyball school records.

Jones received the Rookie of the Year award, starting in all 26 matches, with an average of just under 11 assists per game.

Jones is ranked second on the team in digs per game, with 2.77 and a hitting percentage of .236. Jones led the team with 14 double-doubles, and was named to the ACC All-Freshman Team and ACC All-Academic team. She was one of only two ACC players to be named to both.

Miller and Thornberry shared the award for Best Defensive player. Thornberry started in all matches of the season and is ranked 10th in the ACC with 4.18 digs per game. Thornberry concluded the season with a .945 reception percentage, including nine matches sans reception error.

Miller finished the season third on the team with 2.68 digs per game, 13 games without reception error and a .940 reception percentage.

Hormitz received the Dedication Award, given by Strength and Conditioning Coach Todd Hedrick.

Miller and Mullikan received the Deacon Award, with Mullikan also receiving the Academic Award for having the highest GPA on the team.