BOONE, N.C. – Behind three Tigers recording double-digit kills, Clemson (4-2) swept App State (3-4) in three sets (25-23, 27-25, 25-15) on Thursday evening to open the Black & Gold Invitational. Despite close first and second sets, the Tigers clinched the third set by a 10-point margin to open weekend action.
Clemson was led for the third time this season by junior Mia McGrath, who tallied 16 points behind a 13 kill, two aces and one solo block performance. She was joined by freshman Neea-Maria Joki’s 15 points (10 kills, four block assists and three aces) and senior Azyah Dailey’s 14 points (12 kills, two solo blocks). Redshirt freshman Katherine Sandt finished with 32 assists, while senior libero Devan Taylor led the program with 13 digs. Sophomore Kate Hansen also provided three blocks and one ace for the Tigers.
Clemson claimed the opening set of a back-and-forth battle. After having to use a timeout early, the Tigers came alive on a multi-point run at the hands of Joki, who tallied back-to-back aces to claim the lead. Strong blocking came from Hansen, who finished with three block assists in the first set, to help Clemson maintain the advantage before Joki sealed the 25-23 set win with a kill.
Similar to the opening set, Clemson and App State traded points in the second. With neither team stringing together more than three points, the Tigers relied on Dailey, McGrath, Joki and Sandt to provide an offensive threat that finished with a .333 hitting percentage in set two to stay even with the Mountaineers. After opening the set with an ace by Sandt, it’s only fitting that Taylor closed out the 27-25 set win in the same fashion.
The Tigers came out to set three strong and hit .439 as a team, specifically opening things with seven kills and no errors in the first 11 points scored. This included back-to-back kills from McGrath and an ace from Joki during a 9-0 stretch that forced App State to use both of its timeouts before the halfway mark. Dailey extended Clemson’s lead with two solo blocks within a three-point span, and McGrath, Hansen and Dailey provided kills down the stretch to secure the set win, 25-15, and the three-set sweep.
Up Next
Clemson continues action in Boone tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. against Wofford.