CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia (12-15, 4-12 ACC) fell 25-21, 25-23, 27-25, to Wake Forest (15-13, 7-10 ACC) in its final home contest of 2022 on Sunday afternoon (Nov. 20) at Memorial Gymnasium.
The Cavaliers were led by Abby Tadder, who tied for a match-high 14 kills and hit .346 on the right pin. Setter Gabby Easton finished with a match-high 35 assists as both teams logged 44 kills each.
Mattison Matthews (9 kills, .375 Hit%), Grace Turner (11 kills, 4 blocks) and Veresia Yon (6 blocks) also contributed for the Hoos.
Set 1: Wake Forest 25, Virginia 21
Wake led 15-12 at the media timeout, but UVA scored five straight points later in the set to take a 19-17 lead with Brooklyn Borum behind the service line for four consecutive points. The Demon Deacons signaled for time and broke up the UVA’s run by scoring right away. After the Cavaliers scored on the next two plays, Wake then closed out the set by firing off seven straight scores to claim the first, 25-21. Matthews tallied five of her nine kills and hit .571 in the opening frame. Despite the result of set No. 1, Virginia finished out-hit Wake, .323 to .281.
Set 2: Wake Forest 25, Virginia 23
The Cavaliers led by as many as four (10-6) early in the second. Later on, the Wake tallied five straight points to grasp a 17-14 lead. Virginia embarked on a 4-1 run to regain an advantage (22-21) with four straight kills by Matthews, Tadder, Turner and Borum. After Wake signaled for time, it was the Demon Deacons, once again, who were able to come up with points late in the set. Wake won four of the final five plays to seize the second, 25-23, and take a 2-0 lead heading into intermission. Both teams combined for 34 kills in game No. 2, including 18 by UVA. Tadder had seven of her 14 total kills in the second frame.
Set 3: Wake Forest 27, Virginia 25
After Wake led 6-4 to open the third, UVA posted six straight points, which were highlighted by back-to-back block assists by Easton and Yon. Four unanswered scores by the Demon Deacons tied the frame, 15-15, later in the set. Virginia ultimately tied the set, once again, at 23-23 on another block by Yon. Wake won the next play to gain set point, 24-23, before head coach Shannon Wells signaled for time. Coming out of the huddle, the Cavaliers executed a perfect play a slide to Tadder, whose 14th and final kill of the match evened the score, 24-24. A Cavaliers’ service error on the next play did not help their cause, but a heroic block solo by Easton…