Wake Forest University
Clemson
Wake Forest Drops Another to Clemson, 1-3
10/9/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 9, 2004
Winston-Salem, N.C. - - The Wake Forest volleyball team dropped its sixth straight ACC match against Clemson, Saturday night, 1-3 (26-30, 30-28, 24-30, 22-30). Junior Valerie Rydberg led the Deacons with 13 kills and a career high 28 digs. Wake Forest falls to 8-8 (0-6 in the ACC), while Clemson improves to 11-7 (3-3 in the ACC).
Kim Stern jumped on the board with the first points of the match, to lead the Deacons to a 2-0 start in game one. Clemson took their first lead at the 7-6 mark, but Morgan Havig blocked to tie the score at seven. The Tigers served five unanswered points to reclaim the lead, 12-7, but after a Deacon time out, Wake Forest went on a 6-2 rund to bring the game within one. Clemson called a timeout of its own and came away from it with a 7-1 run to go up 21-14. Wake Forest came within three, but could not close the gap as Clemson took game one, 30-26.
The Deacons put the first points on the board again in game two and took the early lead at the 5-2 mark. Clemson tied the game at six, but an error by the Tigers gave the Deacons back the lead. A kill by Rydberg kept the Deacons ahead by two, 9-7, but Clemson would regain the lead, 11-10. The teams swapped point until Wake regained momentum and went up 23-20. After a timeout by the Tigers, Clemson came out with four unanswered points to take the lead 24-23. A kill by Stern tied the game at 24 and an ace by Erin Borhart gave the Deacons back their lead. Clemson tied the game again at 27 and Baker called her final time out of the game. Wake Forest took game two, 30-28.
The win in the second was the Deacons' first in 12 games, the longest streak since the end of the 1997 season. The last Deacon win in a game came in game three against Maryland, also a 30-28 decision, on Sept. 25.
Clemson claimed the early, 1-0 lead in the third game, but the Deacons answered immediately and kept it close. Clemson served six unanswered to take their biggest lead of the game at the 18-14 mark, but Borhart pushed one past the Tigers to end the Deacon drought. Baker called the team over, trailing 17-22. Clemson went on an 8-2 run to end and take game three, 30-24.
In game four, Clemson fell behind early, 0-1, but answered with seven straight points for the 7-1 edge. At 17-9, Clemson took their biggest lead of the match, but Wake Forest crept back within five. The Tigers stretched the lead out to nine but a kill from Rydberg, and two violations by Clemson brought the Deacons within seven. It was not enough, however, as Clemson took game four, 30-22.
Rydberg was joined on the career best list by Jenna Doane, who recorded a personal best 11 digs.
Wake Forest has now dropped six matches in a row, the longest losing streak since the 1997 when the Deacons dropped 14 in a row. The Deacons will look to rebound as they host Duke, Oct. 12 at 6 p.m. in Reynolds Gymnasium.
