LYNCHBURG, Va. – Virginia middle blockers Abby Tadder (18 kills, .556 Hit%, 5 blocks) and Kate Dean (13 kills, .571 Hit%, 3 blocks) combined for 31 kills to lead the Cavaliers (8-1) to a five-set (16-25, 25-19, 22-25, 25-23, 15-9) victory over Liberty (4-4) Friday night (Sept. 13) at Liberty Arena. With the win, the Hoos recorded their third straight victory of the Flames’ Liberty Tournament.
For only the fifth time in program history, UVA is off to an 8-1 start, also the first time since 2004.
FROM HEAD COACH SHANNON WELLS
“I’m really proud of this team. We have focused on getting one-percent better, which means competing against our last opportunity, and that’s what’s happening. We fully believe the results will take care of themselves when we focus on our side and find ways to get better with each repetition. Kudos to our seniors, who had some big matches throughout this tournament. This is a big team win, and it’s encouraging to know we still have so much to get better at.”
HOW IT HAPPENED
Set 1: Liberty 25, Virginia 16
Both teams were knotted 10-10 when the Flames exploded on a 13-4 scoring spree to run away with the opening set. Seven attack errors in contrast to LU’s two also hindered UVA’s ability to stay competitive. Brooklyn Borum (8 kills, 15 digs) led the Cavaliers with four kills on six swings and no errors.
Set 2: Virginia 25, Liberty 19
The Hoos evened the match in the second with the help of six Tadder kills. For the second straight set, UVA did not allow a single service error, and its efficient passing helped the Cavaliers terminate 19 sets and hit .366.
Set 3: Liberty 25, Virginia 22
An ace by Tadder deep in the third tied the set, 19-19, but LU closed out the frame by outpacing the Cavaliers 6-3 the rest of the way. The Flames hit .483 in game No. 3, while the Hoos hit a respectable clip of .281.
Set 4: Virginia 25, Liberty 23
The Flames led by as many as four points [11-7] in the fourth, but UVA never allowed them to gain set point. Later in the frame, LU led 21-18, but the Cavaliers scored four straight points, highlighted by a pair of Dean kills and block, to take a 22-21 lead. The Flames tied the set, 23-23, but another Dean kill and a block from Tadder and Becca Wight (4 kills, 3 blocks) sealed the fourth and forced the decisive fifth. Dean finished with six kills and Tadder had five. UVA starting libero Milan Gomillion recorded 11 of her 20 total digs in game No. 4.
Set 5: Virginia 15, Liberty 9
The…