Wake Forest University
Wofford
Wake Forest Crowned Deacon Invitational Champions
9/6/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
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By Josh Gresh, Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeVolleyball)
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Wake Forest volleyball team completed the sweep of all four tournament matches to take the Deacon Invitational crown Saturday at Reynolds Gym. Caroline Wolf was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player, while Matalee Reed and Jazmen Russell were named to the All-Tournament team.
On Saturday, the Demon Deacons (6-1) defeated Presbyterian College(3-4), 3-1 in the first match, and completed the sweep with a 3-0 win over Wofford College (2-4) in the nightcap. Wolf totaled 65 digs and 11 assists as the libero for the weekend. Reed had a team-high 48 kills for the weekend while Russell added 43 of her own. The Deacs opened up the tournament on Friday with wins over North Carolina Central and Davidson College.
The Deacs head to the College of Charleston Tournament next weekend to take on the host Cougars on Friday, Sept. 12, at 7 p.m., and play two matches on Saturday against Cal State Fullerton at 11 a.m. and Stetson at 5 p.m. Wake Forest returns to Reynolds Gym on Thursday, Sept. 18 as they host the No. 24-ranked Oklahoma Sooners at 6:30 p.m.
Wake Forest 3, Presbyterian College 1
The Deacs opened day two of the tournament with a win against the Blue Hose 3-1 in the first match of the day. Russell recorded a match-high 18 kills, and added a solo block and two block assists for 22 points.
For Presbyterian, Rachel Hall (12), Rachel Elshoff (11) and Halle Tripp (10), led the way as they each had double-digit kills.
Wake Forest handled the first set with a 25-17 win to take a 1-0 lead. Presbyterian trailed only by three 12-9, but a 5-1 run by the Deacs created a seven-point cushion and a 17-10 lead. Kills by Reed, Russell and Brianna Lynch highlighted the run. The team then outscored the Blue Hose 8-7 the rest of the set, earning the Deacs a first set victory.
Presbyterian would not be tested in the second, as they answered with a 25-20 set win to tie the match 1-1. The Deacs never once had the lead in the set and coach Ken Murczek called time with the team trailing 21-13. A 6-2 run brought the set within five points, but that's how the margin would finish heading to the third set. Hall had a set-high five kills for the Blue Hose.
The third set would be a grind for Wake Forest as they won a close battle, 25-21. The whole set was a mainly both teams trading points back-and-forth. With the match tied 20-20, the Deacs used a 5-1 run, capped off by a kill by Reed to clinch the set and take a 2-1 match lead.
The final set also wasn't easy for the Demon Deacons as they inched out another 25-21 set victory. Hall's four kills for the Blue Hoes wouldn't be enough to keep the match alive for the visitors. Wake Forest used a 3-1 run at the end of the set to take the 3-1 victory. Reed and Russell each had kills to close out the match.
Wake Forest 3, Wofford College 0
The Demon Deacons closed out the tournament, shutting out the Wofford Terriers 3-0 in their final match of the tournament. Reed had a match-high 12 kills, while Ashlee Rusk and Kylie Long added seven kills each. Bella Santoro led the way for the Terriers recording 11 kills and a block assist.
Wofford did well in the first set keeping the match close at all times, but the Deacs would win a nail-biting set 25-22. There were a total of four lead changes in the set. The Deacs would use a 5-2 run to end the set with two kills from Reed and one from Rusk, and Taylor Baird's service error gave Wake Forest a 1-0 match lead.
The Deacs began the second set with a hot start and never looked back. Wofford coach Ron Sweet had to call a timeout early as Wake Forest had a 6-0 run to start the set. The host didn't look back in the set and won by an 11-point margin. Long had a set-high five kills for the Deacs.
The Terriers did battle with the Deacs early in the third set. But after Wofford's last lead at 16-15, Wake Forest used a 10-2 run to close out the match and take the victory. Reed had three kills while Russell had two kills and a service ace during the run. The Deacs closed out the tournament with the 3-0 shutout over the Wofford Terriers and a sweep of the Deacon Invitational.
