Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – The Virginia Tech volleyball team took a set away from the ACC’s top squad in No. 8 North Carolina but the Tar Heels (19-2, 11-0 ACC) proved to be too much as the Hokies (8-14, 3-8 ACC) fell, 3-1 (25-21, 22-25, 25-21, 25-17), on Friday evening on Carilion Court at Cassell Coliseum.
Senior Amanda McKinzie finished with 16 kills and 14 digs while classmate Lindsey Owens posted a match-high 22 kills. Tech almost saw a near double-double from junior Mandy Powers, who tallied 43 assists, nine digs and a career-best four blocks.
Tech battled with UNC from the get-go as a service ace from sophomore Kelly Esch put the Hokies ahead, 19-18, late in the first set. After the Heels regained the lead, 20-19, an ace from Owens, a kill from McKinzie followed by another kill from Owens forced North Carolina to call a timeout with Tech up 22-21. The slim lead wouldn’t be enough though as UNC took control of the set after the timeout to take the game, 25-21.
The Hokies fell behind early in the second frame, 5-0, but they chipped away at the deficit and later tied the score at 10-10. A McKinzie kill gave Tech its first lead of the set at 15-14 and it also sparked a 5-1 run. Another kill from McKinzie made it 20-15, the Hokies’ largest lead of the set. North Carolina made cut its deficit to one, 23-22, but back-to-back errors gave Tech the 25-22 second set win.
Despite tying the score in the match at 1-1, the Hokies could not capitalize on its momentum. The Hokies held a 20-19 advantage late in the third after a kill from Powers that tied the score and a Tar Heel error gave Tech the lead. UNC did not waver, though, and pulled out the 25-21 win in the third before taking the fourth and deciding frame, 25-17.
The Hokies will be back in action Sunday for a 1 p.m. match with NC State.
MATCH NOTES
- McKinzie has registered a double-double in three-consecutive matches and now has eight on the season.
- McKinzie is inching closer to the 1,000 career kill plateau as she now sits at 885 kills with nine matches to play.
- Powers broke her previous high of three blocks set against Ohio on Sept. 16 with a career-high four-block performance against the Tar Heels.
- Owens now has three 20+ kill performances on the season and her 22 against UNC tied her season-high in ACC play this season.
- After tallying four blocks tonight, sophomore Jaila Tolbert is now five blocks shy of match her freshman year total of 65.
- Tech had been struggling with errors in service but committed only four against UNC to go along with four service aces.