CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – Despite four Hokies totaling double-digit kills and senior Jaila Tolbert earning her 1,000thkill, the Virginia Tech volleyball team fell short in a five-set loss to Boston College on Friday night at Power Gym.
The Hokies (14-14, 5-11 ACC) dropped their second five-set heartbreaker in a row, falling by a score of 16-14 in the final frame in consecutive matches. The Eagles (14-14, 4-13 ACC) were led by Mckenna Goss, who tallied a team-high 19 kills and five blocks.
The first set saw 16 ties and 10 lead changes in a back-and-forth affair that began all knotted at 10-10. After it seesawed all the way up until 20-18, the Hokies burned a timeout. Out of the break, Smith put down one of her seven kills in the set to cut it to a one-point deficit, but the Eagles scored five of the next seven points to win it, 25-21.
Trailing 5-0 to start the second frame, the Hokies called a timeout to stop BC's momentum. However, the Eagles kept it going and would go up 18-4, forcing another Tech timeout. Out of the break, the Hokies would outscore them 8-7, but it would not be enough in a 25-12 defeat.
Tech got out to a fast start, getting a combination block by sophomores Ester Talamazzi and Kai Young to earn a three-point advantage, 11-8, causing a Boston College timeout. After the pause in action, the Eagles stormed back and took a 12-11 lead. Things would stay even all the way up until 20-20 when Tolbert took over, recording three kills in a row with the latter being the sweetest when it marked her 1,000th. The Eagles would come back to tie it at 24-all but Tech got the four of the next six points to win it, 28-26.
Knotted at 14-all in another set that more than nine ties, Tech earned a slim two-point advantage at 17-15 after a kill by Cerchio. The Eagles responded by creating their own two-point lead, going on 7-3 run to make it 22-20. With their backs against the wall, the Hokies dug deep and finished it on a 6-2 run behind consecutive aces by libero Carol Raffety to win it, 26-24.
After a solo block by Cerchio, the Hokies took an 8-7 lead halfway into the final stanza as the two clubs switched sides. Things would stay steady all the way up to 14-14, before BC claimed the last two points to win it, 16-14.
NOTES
- Tolbert posted her eighth match in a row of 10-plus kills and tied her career high of 22 kills on a .304 hitting percentage. Her other time racking up 22 kills was against NC State on Oct. 15, 2017. When the Minnesota native put down her 1,000thkill in the third set, she became the 16thHokie to accomplish the feat and the first since 2016 when Amanda McKinzie (2013-16) did it.
- Smith collected her ninth double-double of the season with a season-high 21 kills and 12 digs. The 21 kills were her most since Nov. 22, 2017, versus Virginia and her first time in 2018 cracking the 20-kill mark. With Smith and Tolbert turning in 20-kill performances, it marks the first time in the Jill Wilson era of two Hokies have 20-plus kills in the same match.
- Talamazzi accomplished her seventh double-double of the season and second straight, owning 11 kills, 17 digs and a season-high five blocks. In her last two matches, she's delivered 22 kills and 27 digs.
- Mitchell registered 50-plus assists for second match in a row, distributing a season-high 58. In her career, the redshirt senior has had 10 matches of 50 or more assists. The Georgia native also collected 10 digs, marking her second double-double of the fall.
- Raffety concluded with 20 digs and a team-high three aces, tying her season high set on Oct. 21 versus Duke. The California native's 20 digs marked her second straight match of 20 or more, with now owning eight 20-plus contests on the season.
- Cerchio finished with 11 kills, her most since Sept. 7 against Ohio, and a team-high six blocks. Freshman Peyton Yelich appeared in a match for the first time since Sept. 16 and posted career highs in blocks (4) and digs (3).
- Defensive specialist Abby McKinzie delivered a season-high 10 digs, topping her mark of eight last Friday versus Virginia. The junior has tallied 18 digs her last two matches, marking her best two-match stretch of the season.
WHAT IS NEXT
- The Hokies will head to Syracuse for their final regular-season away match, taking on the Orange at 1 p.m. ET in the Women's Building.
