Hokie Club
BLACKSBURG – In a contest that has happened in back-to-back seasons, the 49ers earned revenge after last year's setback, beating Virginia Tech's volleyball team 3-0 on Saturday to wrap up the Hokie Invitational sponsored by the Fairfield Inn & Suites in Christiansburg.
Charlotte (9-6) finished the tournament going 2-1, while Tech (7-6) went 1-2. The Hokies' middle blocker Kai Young was named to the all-tournament team after she had a consistent weekend, racking up 14 kills and 10 blocks.
THE MATCH
The 49ers, who fell 3-2 last season in the Queen City, got off to a fast start in the first set, jumping out to an 11-7 advantage to force a Tech timeout. Out of the break, Charlotte kept its foot on the pedal, finishing on a 14-6 run to win it 25-13.
The second frame saw eight ties and four lead changes, with the score being knotted in the early going at 11-11. But the 49ers got hot and went on a run, going up four points at 17-13. However, the Hokies strung together some points and fought back to tie it up at 21-all after back-to-back aces from senior Ester Talamazzi. But Charlotte scored six of the next 10 points to win 27-25.
Charlotte began the final stanza with a big lead, earning a seven-point lead at 15-8. From there, the Hokies would score three straight after kills from Young, junior Marisa Cerchio and sophomore Sarah Jane Lynch to cut it to four. But the 49ers clapped back with a run of their own to claim it 25-14.
NOTES
- Cerchio finished the day with a team-high eight kills and two digs. It marks her fifth match this season of leading the team in kills.
- Talamazzi scooped up 11 digs, her second most of the season. The Italy native now has two matches this year with 10-plus digs and 24 in her career.
- Speaking of digs, libero Logan Mosley owned a team-high 14. She now has had double-digit digs in 12 of her 13 matches played.
- Young tallied six kills and hit a team-high .268 hitting percentage.
UP NEXT
Tech will begin ACC play on the road next weekend, heading to in-state rival Virginia (7-5) and No. 6 Pitt (11-0). Both matches will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Timber Terrell (MVP), Arkansas State
Kendahl Davenport, Arkansas State
Hannah Cox, Arkansas State
Sydney Rowan, Charlotte
Lana Strejcek, Charlotte
Kai Young, Virginia Tech
Gallery: (9/21/2019) 2019 HOKIE INVITATIONAL GAME 3