Sunday, September 26
Winston-Salem, N.C.
1 P.M.
Wake Forest University
9-4,0-2ACC
2
vs
3
Clemson
10-3,2-0ACC
1
2
3
4
5
F
Clemson
25
21
27
15
15
3
Wake Forest
16
25
25
25
13
2
Wake Forest Falls to Clemson in Five
9/26/2021 5:31:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Wake Forest volleyball team fell to the Clemson Tigers, 3-2, on Sunday afternoon in Varsity Arena inside Reynolds Gymnasium.
Peyton Suess led the team offensively with fifteen kills off Andrea Fuentes' 43 assists. Ashley Slater followed Suess with 12 kills. Kamryn Malloy and Delaney McSweeney each chipped in nine, and Slater and Malloy led Wake Forest on the net with two blocks a piece. Defensively, Kalani Whillock led the passing game with 13 digs, while Fuentes, Malloy and Suess each tallied 11 playing all six rotations.
How It Happened
Clemson started the match hot and took a commanding 8-3 lead in the first set. Wake Forest took their first timeout after going down 10-5. Despite all five hitters contributing offensively for the Deacs, Clemson took the first set 25-16. Wake Forest came out hot in the second set, taking a 10-5 lead and forcing a Clemson timeout. Three kills from Slater kept the Deacs lead, 15-12. A dagger from Malloy caused Clemson to take their second and final timeout of the set with the Deacs ahead 19-14. Clemson was able to cut the deficit to 21-18 that forced Wake Forest to take a timeout before the end of the set. Out of the timeout, Wake Forest saw kills from Fuentes and Franke before a kill and service ace from Slater sealed the second set win, 25-21.
Each team carried some momentum into the third set, with multiple ties. A kill from Kamryn Malloy and a Clemson error gave the Deacs the 18-17 lead late, and the set was tied at 18, 19 and 20. A kill from Suess tied it again at 21 and another one from Malloy gave them the 22-21 advantage and forced a Clemson timeout. Coming out, Clemson was able to take the 23-22 lead and forced a Wake Forest timeout. The Tigers kept the advantage out of the timeout at 24-22. Wake Forest used their second and final timeout and were able to tie it at 24 with kills from Suess and McSweeney. Clemson found a way out and took the set 27-25.
Wake Forest took the momentum for the fourth set, taking a commanding 13-6 lead to start and forcing Clemson to take an early timeout. Kills from Franke and Slater out of the timeout kept the lead for the Deacs at 16-7. Another kill from Fuentes for the 21-14 lead forced Clemson to use their second and final timeout of the set. Kills from Slater, Suess and Fuentes out of the timeout sealed the 25-15 fourth set win for the Deacs. Clemson came out strong in the fifth set, leading the entire way for a 15-13 win that secured the 3-2 match victory for the Tigers.
Coach's Comments
"We came out slow again today, and we have to get out of that habit. This is a fast and physical league so the faster we start, the better shape we'll be in. I'm glad they figured it out and were able to take control a little bit, but Clemson is a good team, and they came at us hard in that fifth set. We finished hard and continued to compete and work for every point. If we want to win matches, we need to come out stronger from the jump and keep fighting for every point." – head coach Randi Smart
Up Next
Wake Forest will be on the road for their next four matches, starting with Syracuse on Friday, October 1 at 7 p.m. The match will stream live on ACC Network Extra.
Peyton Suess led the team offensively with fifteen kills off Andrea Fuentes' 43 assists. Ashley Slater followed Suess with 12 kills. Kamryn Malloy and Delaney McSweeney each chipped in nine, and Slater and Malloy led Wake Forest on the net with two blocks a piece. Defensively, Kalani Whillock led the passing game with 13 digs, while Fuentes, Malloy and Suess each tallied 11 playing all six rotations.
How It Happened
Clemson started the match hot and took a commanding 8-3 lead in the first set. Wake Forest took their first timeout after going down 10-5. Despite all five hitters contributing offensively for the Deacs, Clemson took the first set 25-16. Wake Forest came out hot in the second set, taking a 10-5 lead and forcing a Clemson timeout. Three kills from Slater kept the Deacs lead, 15-12. A dagger from Malloy caused Clemson to take their second and final timeout of the set with the Deacs ahead 19-14. Clemson was able to cut the deficit to 21-18 that forced Wake Forest to take a timeout before the end of the set. Out of the timeout, Wake Forest saw kills from Fuentes and Franke before a kill and service ace from Slater sealed the second set win, 25-21.
Each team carried some momentum into the third set, with multiple ties. A kill from Kamryn Malloy and a Clemson error gave the Deacs the 18-17 lead late, and the set was tied at 18, 19 and 20. A kill from Suess tied it again at 21 and another one from Malloy gave them the 22-21 advantage and forced a Clemson timeout. Coming out, Clemson was able to take the 23-22 lead and forced a Wake Forest timeout. The Tigers kept the advantage out of the timeout at 24-22. Wake Forest used their second and final timeout and were able to tie it at 24 with kills from Suess and McSweeney. Clemson found a way out and took the set 27-25.
Wake Forest took the momentum for the fourth set, taking a commanding 13-6 lead to start and forcing Clemson to take an early timeout. Kills from Franke and Slater out of the timeout kept the lead for the Deacs at 16-7. Another kill from Fuentes for the 21-14 lead forced Clemson to use their second and final timeout of the set. Kills from Slater, Suess and Fuentes out of the timeout sealed the 25-15 fourth set win for the Deacs. Clemson came out strong in the fifth set, leading the entire way for a 15-13 win that secured the 3-2 match victory for the Tigers.
Coach's Comments
"We came out slow again today, and we have to get out of that habit. This is a fast and physical league so the faster we start, the better shape we'll be in. I'm glad they figured it out and were able to take control a little bit, but Clemson is a good team, and they came at us hard in that fifth set. We finished hard and continued to compete and work for every point. If we want to win matches, we need to come out stronger from the jump and keep fighting for every point." – head coach Randi Smart
Up Next
Wake Forest will be on the road for their next four matches, starting with Syracuse on Friday, October 1 at 7 p.m. The match will stream live on ACC Network Extra.
Team Stats
Clem
Wake
Kills
68
64
Errors
17
19
Attempts
149
135
Hitting %
.342
.333
Points
79
81
Assists
55
53
Aces
4
9
Blocks
7
8
Game Leaders
Kills
15
Aces
1
Blocks
1
Kills
13
Aces
6
Blocks
2
Kills
10
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Players Mentioned
S
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's VolleyballOH/RS
/ Women's VolleyballOH/RS
/ Women's Volleyball
DS
/ Women's VolleyballFootball Media Availability (11/4/25)
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