CLEMSON, S.C. – After winning the first set in Jervey Gym, the Virginia Volleyball team (8-9, 0-6 ACC) dropped the final three games to Clemson (11-7, 2-4) in a 25-22, 19-25, 14-25, 23-25 decision on Sunday afternoon.
Virginia middle blockers Abby Tadder (10 kills, 6 block assists) and Veresia Yon (9 kills, .444 hitting %) led the effort for the Cavaliers as both players hit above .300.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Neither team gained more than a two-point advantage to open the first before the media timeout at which point Clemson led, 15-14. The difference proved to be the Cavaliers scoring three of the last four points, which was capped by Brooklyn Borum terminating her third kill of the set, which UVA won, 25-22. The Cavaliers hit .323 in the opening frame after tallying 15 kills with just three attack errors. Virginia was also better in the serve game, coming up with three aces and just one error, while the Tigers tallied five service errors in the opening frame. Setter Gabby Easton assisted on 14 of UVA’s 15 kills in the first. Easton finished Sunday’s contest with a season-high 33 assists.
- The Tigers jumped out to a 6-1 advantage, a deficit in which UVA could not overcome for the remainder of the set, as Clemson went on to claim the second, 25-19. The Tigers scored five of the final seven points of game No. 2. For the second consecutive set, the Tigers hit .324 against the UVA defense. Tadder, Easton and Grace Turner each had three kills in the second set.
- Coming out of the break, things did not improve for the Cavaliers. UVA scored on just 37 percent of Clemson serves in the third. The Tigers led by as many as 10 points (19-9) as Clemson went on to claim the set, 25-14, and take a 2-1 lead.
- In the fourth, another slow start for UVA hindered the Cavaliers’ chances of forcing a fifth. Clemson scored the first five points of the game. The Tigers had match point, 24-20, but Virginia did not give up easily, scoring three straight points on a kill by Tadder and back-to-back blocks. With the score, 25-23, and Borum behind the service line, Clemson came up with a kill to win the fourth, 25-23, and match, 3-1.
NOTES
- Clemson improved to 45-23 in the all-time series and has now won its last three matchups against the Cavaliers.
- Veresia Yon’s nine kills are a season high.
- Setter Gabby Easton dished out a season-high 33 assists.
- With eight kills in Sunday’s match, Grace Turner needs just six kills to reach 800 career kills.
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