CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – In its first of two matches this weekend, the Virginia volleyball team (9-11, 1-8 ACC) fell to No. 2 Louisville (18-1, 9-0 ACC), 18-25, 15-25, 22-25, at Memorial Gymnasium Friday night (Oct. 21).
The Cavaliers were led by Grace Turner, who tallied a match-high 10 kills on 31 swings and finished with eight digs and three block assists. Abby Tadder chipped in eight kills from the middle and tallied a team-best five block assists.
With the win, the Cardinals won their 38th consecutive ACC regular-season match, the second longest win streak in conference play nationally.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Virginia kept it close for most of the opening set, but the Cardinals capped the first with a 5-1 scoring run to pull away, 25-18. The Cavaliers held Louisville to a hitting percentage of .200 in game No. 1 after registering 4.0 total team blocks. Turner posted four kills on 12 swings and had two blocks.
- For the second straight set, UVA never led as the Cardinals ran away with the second, 25-15. Louisville secured a 14-6 lead before, once again, closing out the set on a high note, this time on an 8-1 run. The Cardinals finished game No. 2 with 13 kills in the second, while holding UVA to just eight. Louisville also scored on 11 of UVA’s 16 total serves in the second.
- Turner terminated four straight points early in the third to deliver the Cavaliers’ first and ultimately largest lead of the match, 6-3. Louisville would tie the set, 11-11, as both teams were neck and neck throughout. The difference in game No. 3 proved to be another late run by the Cardinals. Virginia led 25-22 when Louisville tallied five straight, including consecutive Cardinal blocks, to win the third, 25-22, and match.
NOTES
- Outside hitter Grace Turner (10 kills) has now led the Cavaliers in kills in 14 of UVA’s 20 matches so far this season.
- Coming off the bench to bolster the Cavaliers’ back row, setter Ashley Le finished with a team-high 10 digs.
- With the win, Louisville improved to 10-3 in the all-time series and extended its win streak over UVA to six matches.
UP NEXT
Virginia rounds out its four-match homestand in Mem Gym on Sunday (Oct. 23) at 1 p.m., when the Cavaliers host Notre Dame (9-10, 4-5 ACC). Sunday’s contest is set to stream on ACC Network Extra (ACCNX) through the ESPN app, which is available through participating TV providers that carry ACC Network.