Friday, September 3
Nashville, Tenn.
4 P.M.
Wake Forest University
3-1,0-0ACC
2
vs
3
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Kansas
2-2,0-0Big 12
1
2
3
4
5
F
Wake Forest
26
21
25
23
11
2
Kansas
24
25
23
25
15
3
Wake Forest Falls to Kansas in Five-Set Battle
9/3/2021 9:21:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Wake Forest volleyball team dropped their first match of the season in a five-set battle to Kansas. Outside hitter Kamryn Malloy and middle blocker Delaney McSweeney each recorded season highs on the net.
Malloy recorded a match-high 17 kills over five sets for a new season high and McSweeney finished with 12 kills, which is a new career high for the redshirt sophomore. They each also recorded team-highs with seven blocks a piece.
Setter Andrea Fuentes also recorded a season-high 57 assists in the match. The number is just four off from her career high of 61 helpers, which she has recorded twice in her career. Sophomore Ashley Slater continues to be a key contributor for the Demon Deacons as she finished the match second on the team with 14 kills. Freshman libero Kalani Whillock led the charge defensively with a match-high 32 digs, which is a new season high as well. Whillock also recorded a match-high four service aces. Malloy was right behind her with three.
How It Happened
Wake Forest jumped out to an early 10-3 lead in the first set with five different Deacs contributing points. Malloy and Slater started the offense off strong, recording two kills each. Fuentes and Whillock each chipped in a service ace and Delaney McSweeney was strong on the net, recording a block and a kill. Kansas minimized the deficit to two, getting as close as 14-12, but strong offense and defense by Malloy and McSweeney kept the Deacs ahead. They each recorded a block and a kill to maintain the lead. A solo block from Malloy and kills from Slater, McSweeney, Peyton Suess and Olivia Franke kept the Deacs in front, winning the set 26-24.
The second set remained close, with the Jayhawks and Deacs going point for point to tie it at 10. Kansas went on a hot streak, going up 20-15. Wake Forest continued to battle and got within two, 21-23, before the Jayhawks took the second set, 25-21. Wake Forest had to overcome a seven point deficit in the third set after falling behind 18-11. Back-to-back kills from Franke and a service ace from senior Abby Krueger helped swing the momentum back to the Deacs as they went on a 5-0 run to cut the deficit to 18-16. Malloy went off for three kills and two block assists with McSweeney to take a 22-20 lead. Kansas tied it up again at 22 before a kill from McSweeney sealed the set, with the Deacs winning 25-23.
The Deacs fell behind early in the fourth set, but fought to keep it close, with tie scores at nine, 11 and 12 before pulling away and going up on the Jayhawks 15-12 with three more kills from Malloy and another chipped in by McSweeney. The match got tied up again at 17 before the Jayhawks went on a run to take the lead 21-17. Franke and Suess would each record another kill, two for Franke, before Kansas took the fourth 25-23. The tale of the tying tape continued into the fifth set when the Deacs took an early lead but got all tied up at seven and eight before the Jayhawks were able to pull away and take the fifth set 15-11.
Coach's Comments
"Overall, we executed our game plan pretty well. We made a couple mistakes in each set and have some things to clean up, but that will come with time. We have great leadership but are still a young team. They competed for every point, and we are seeing some great things every time we get on the court." – head coach Randi Smart
Up Next
Wake Forest is back in action at the LUV Invite Saturday afternoon at 5:30 p.m. ET against No. 15 Western Kentucky.
Malloy recorded a match-high 17 kills over five sets for a new season high and McSweeney finished with 12 kills, which is a new career high for the redshirt sophomore. They each also recorded team-highs with seven blocks a piece.
Setter Andrea Fuentes also recorded a season-high 57 assists in the match. The number is just four off from her career high of 61 helpers, which she has recorded twice in her career. Sophomore Ashley Slater continues to be a key contributor for the Demon Deacons as she finished the match second on the team with 14 kills. Freshman libero Kalani Whillock led the charge defensively with a match-high 32 digs, which is a new season high as well. Whillock also recorded a match-high four service aces. Malloy was right behind her with three.
How It Happened
Wake Forest jumped out to an early 10-3 lead in the first set with five different Deacs contributing points. Malloy and Slater started the offense off strong, recording two kills each. Fuentes and Whillock each chipped in a service ace and Delaney McSweeney was strong on the net, recording a block and a kill. Kansas minimized the deficit to two, getting as close as 14-12, but strong offense and defense by Malloy and McSweeney kept the Deacs ahead. They each recorded a block and a kill to maintain the lead. A solo block from Malloy and kills from Slater, McSweeney, Peyton Suess and Olivia Franke kept the Deacs in front, winning the set 26-24.
The second set remained close, with the Jayhawks and Deacs going point for point to tie it at 10. Kansas went on a hot streak, going up 20-15. Wake Forest continued to battle and got within two, 21-23, before the Jayhawks took the second set, 25-21. Wake Forest had to overcome a seven point deficit in the third set after falling behind 18-11. Back-to-back kills from Franke and a service ace from senior Abby Krueger helped swing the momentum back to the Deacs as they went on a 5-0 run to cut the deficit to 18-16. Malloy went off for three kills and two block assists with McSweeney to take a 22-20 lead. Kansas tied it up again at 22 before a kill from McSweeney sealed the set, with the Deacs winning 25-23.
The Deacs fell behind early in the fourth set, but fought to keep it close, with tie scores at nine, 11 and 12 before pulling away and going up on the Jayhawks 15-12 with three more kills from Malloy and another chipped in by McSweeney. The match got tied up again at 17 before the Jayhawks went on a run to take the lead 21-17. Franke and Suess would each record another kill, two for Franke, before Kansas took the fourth 25-23. The tale of the tying tape continued into the fifth set when the Deacs took an early lead but got all tied up at seven and eight before the Jayhawks were able to pull away and take the fifth set 15-11.
Coach's Comments
"Overall, we executed our game plan pretty well. We made a couple mistakes in each set and have some things to clean up, but that will come with time. We have great leadership but are still a young team. They competed for every point, and we are seeing some great things every time we get on the court." – head coach Randi Smart
Up Next
Wake Forest is back in action at the LUV Invite Saturday afternoon at 5:30 p.m. ET against No. 15 Western Kentucky.
Team Stats
Wake
KU
Kills
63
62
Errors
34
23
Attempts
177
173
Hitting %
.164
.225
Points
89
85
Assists
61
59
Aces
11
6
Blocks
15
17
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
17
Aces
3
Blocks
7
Kills
14
Aces
1
Blocks
1
Kills
12
Aces
0
Blocks
7
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's VolleyballOH/RS
/ Women's Volleyball
OH/RS
/ Women's Volleyball
DS
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