Tech sweeps VCU in midweek tiltTech sweeps VCU in midweek tilt
Volleyball

Tech sweeps VCU in midweek tilt

Opens in a new window Box Score (PDF)


BLACKSBURG – Hitting north of .300 for the fifth time this year, Virginia Tech's volleyball team found its groove on offense to win over VCU 3-0 on Tuesday evening at Carilion Clinic Court inside Cassell Coliseum.

The Hokies (9-1) saw four players hit over .400 in route to winning its 15th straight match against the Rams (4-7), dating all the way back to 1985.

In front of its home fans, including the Corps of Cadets, Tech started things off strong going up 6-1, forcing a VCU timeout. It would keep the momentum by extending its lead to 14-5 after a kill from sophomore Marisa Cerchio. The Rams would battle back, cutting the deficit to five points, but Tech would not give up the lead, winning 25-16.

Knotted at 10-10, Tech went on a 10-4 run punctuated by an Ester Talamazzi kill, causing the Rams to burn another timeout at 20-14. Outside hitter Kaity Smith would get two kills following the timeout to help the Hokies win it, 25-18.

VCU began the final frame with the lead early on, taking the 11-7 advantage, its biggest lead of the match. But the Hokies would find their gear and took the lead at 14-13 after a block by sophomore Kai Young and senior Jaila Tolbert. And would not look back, finishing the set with another combo block by the sophomore duo of Talamazzi and Young to claim it, 25-21.

Vicky Giommarini paced the Rams with a near double-double, recording 15 kills on a .357 hitting percentage and nine digs.
 

(9/11/2018) 2018 VOLLEYBALL vs. VCU



NOTES

- Tolbert owned the highest hitting percentage for the Hokies, hitting a clip of .625 – her second-highest of the season – to mark her fourth consecutive match of hitting north of .350.

- Setter Rhegan Mitchell dished out 36 assists and also had four kills and five digs. The Georgia native's four kills tied her season-high mark against Charlotte set on Aug. 25.

- Junior Carol Raffety scooped up 17 digs and collected four assists, her fourth straight match of having three or more assists at the libero position.

- Cerchio once against hit more than .400, finishing the night with a .421 clip and eight kills. The .421 hitting percentage is the fifth time this season Cerchio has hit over .400.

- Young hit a season-high .571 with four kills and a team-high five blocks. She has been on a tear at the net as of late, posting 11 blocks in her last three matches.

- Talamazzi filled up the stat sheet, registering 10 kills, seven digs, three blocks and an assist. The Italy native's 10 kills were the fourth time she's had double-digit kills, including all four coming within Tech's last five matches.

QUOTING HEAD COACH JILL WILSON

"The Corps of Cadets were so creative tonight," Tech Head Coach Jill Wilson said. "They truly changed the atmosphere to our advantage. I'm very grateful for all that they do, their service and being here tonight.

"I was really proud of our mentality. It was a quick turnaround with coming off of a long weekend and traveling, so I thought our players did a really nice job of attacking offensively and being aggressive on our home court and serving as well.

"Rhegan [Mitchell] did a great job, she is getting better and better every match. It always helps to have someone as experienced as her with leading and being our quarterback. I thought she did a great job tonight of going to our hitters who were on fire.

"We are leaving early due to Hurricane Florence, so we're going to have some extra time of practice on UTSA's floor. We'll get a lot of good serving and passing in, which is a big strength for us, and I think we need to keep maintaining that. And then also clean up a little bit of our blocking and defense in terms of consistency."

STAT OF THE MATCH

- Of Tech's six players who had an attack, four of them had errorless swings – Cerchio (19 attacks), Tolbert (16), Young (seven) and Mitchell (five) – combing for 47 attacks without an error.

TWEET OF THE MATCH
 




WHAT IS NEXT

- The Hokies will hit the road to the Lone Star state this weekend, playing in the UTSA Invitational along with No. 18 Baylor in San Antonio, Texas from Saturday-Sunday.