Hokie ClubTALAHASSEE, Fla. -- The Virginia Tech volleyball team came from two sets down to force a fifth set against No. 15 Florida State but the Seminoles, the top offensive team in the conference, pulled out a 3-2 win (25-13, 25-21, 15-25, 24-26, 15-8) over the Hokies in the deciding frame on its home floor on Friday evening.
Freshman Carol Raffety, who moved from libero to outside hitter after the second set, posted a .350 attack percentage and 11 digs for the Hokies (8-10, 3-4 ACC). Sophomore Jaila Tolbert hit a team-high .375 and senior Lindsey Owens and Amanda McKinzie posted double-digit kills.
After dropping the first two sets, Tech turned in an impressive performance in the third game. A kill from Owens put the Hokies ahead for good at 5-4 with a kill and their lead ballooned to 11, 20-9, after a kill from Raffety. McKinzie delivered an ace to give the Hokies set point at 24-15 and Owens followed with her seventh kill of the set to give the Hokies a 25-15 third set win.
Tech continued its momentum in the fourth game as a Florida State error and a kill from junior Cara Cunningham made it 10-6 Hokies and forced the Seminoles to call a timeout. FSU (13-3, 6-1 ACC) made a run though and held set point, 24-23, but Tech responded with three-consecutive points, kills from Cunningham and Raffety and an error, forcing a fifth set.
The Hokies next travel to Miami for a 1 p.m. match on Sunday.
MATCH NOTES
- The Hokies nearly won its first match at Tully Gymnasium in program history in its 15th try.
- Raffety, who ranks fourth in the Tech freshman record book with 299 digs, made her first-career appearance at outside hitter after the second set.
- Junior Mandy Powers set a new career-high with 48 assists to go along with a block and six digs.
- Cunningham had five total blocks against FSU and has posted five or more blocks in five of the last six matches.