Wake Forest University
17-14,8-10ACC
Davidson
22-10,14-4Atlantic 10
Wake Forest’s 2022 Season Comes to a Close in NIVC Second Round
12/3/2022 8:21:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Another five-set thriller capped off the fall campaign.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Wake Forest volleyball wrapped its fall season on Saturday evening (Dec. 3), falling to Davidson in the second round of the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC). For the second time in as many matches, the Demon Deacons battled through five sets of nail-biting action, ultimately suffering a 3-2 defeat (25-22, 19-25, 24-26, 25-21, 15-17).
Wake Forest finished with a 17-14 overall record in 2022 – its best since the 2010 season.
In her final collegiate match, Andrea Fuentes pieced an exceptional, double-double performance of 48 assists and 10 digs. It was her tenth double-double of the year and fifth over the last six matches. The standout setter finished with over 4,750 assists, 970 digs, 130 blocks, and 120 service aces for her career.
Peyton Suess had 14 kills and four digs in the final outing.
Paige Crawford led the Deacs in kills (18) for the second straight day. Emmy Ogogor added 10 kills.
Kalani Whillock tied her career high in service aces, leading all individuals with four on the night.
Wake Forest saw four individuals rack up seven or more digs, led by Emma Farrell's match-high 21. Fuentes (10), Whillock (7) and Megan Merril (7) chipped into the defensive end of dig totals. Suess and Olivia Franke added two blocks apiece.
How it Happened
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Paige Crawford was first to put Wake Forest in the scoring column, doing so for the second time in as many matches.
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Emmy Ogogor and Audrey Douglas followed with a kill right after.
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A few kills by Davidson allowed the team to take its first lead, 5-3.
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Olivia Franke blasted a pair of kills to keep Wake Forest close by, 8-6.
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Crawford took initiative from the outside, punching a flurry of kills to tie the score at 9 all.
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The freshman answered again twice moments later, with another evened margin (11-11).
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After Wake Forest suffered a blocking error, the Wildcats headed into the match's first media timeout up 15-12.
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Two more immediate Davidson kills resulted in the Deacs taking their own timeout.
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Some back-and-forth play took place next, with Franke taking charge.
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A Kalani Whillock service ace cut the deficit to 19-17.
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Crawford could not be stopped on the hitting end, giving Wake Forest momentum and a slight 21-20 lead.
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An attacking error committed by Davidson led to another tie (22-22).
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Crawford laced an ace on the very next play, and a kill by Ogogor put the Deacs at set point.
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The Wildcats suffered a bad set to close out set one, with Wake Forest grabbing a 25-22 win.
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Crawford went 9-of-13 on attacks (.692) in the opening period.
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Andrea Fuentes lined an ace as set two unfolded.
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Both sides traded aggressive kills, going into a 7-7 tie.
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Davidson made a rejection at the net to go up 9-7 two plays later.
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Ogogor threw down two straight balls, creating a one-point deficit for Wake Forest.
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Douglas followed suit, landing two consecutive kills of her own to put the margin at 14-14 in set two.
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Davidson added three more points before Franke put a stop to the surge.
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The junior and Crawford helped the Deacs quickly jump back into it (17-17).
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More 'seesaw play' occurred with Davidson hanging in front, 21-18.
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After the visitors netted another successful hit, Wake Forest called its second timeout of the period.
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The Wildcats dished an ace next.
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Ogogor pounded another kill, but Davidson was able to close out the second frame, 25-19.
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Ogogor went 5-of-8 in her attacks throughout set two.
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Emma Farrell scooped five digs.
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Davidson took a 4-1 lead in the start of set three.
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Peyton Suess got in a rhythm, however, and the Wildcats went through a few mistakes.
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Franke and Kalani Whillock each picked up an ace, tying things at 8 even.
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Additional tied scores ensued before Davidson took a 14-11 gain.
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Highlighted by solo blocks by Franke and Suess apiece, Wake Forest forced a Wildcat timeout.
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Suess swatted a kill once play resumed, creating a 15-15 tie.
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Davidson found a way to narrowly get ahead again, 17-16.
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A short 3-1 push bumped the visitors up by two points.
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Franke continued to produce on the front line, knotting back-to-back kills.
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Davidson scored on four of five possessions to take a 23-20 advantage.
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Crawford and Suess responded with a kill apiece, followed by an ace by the former to generate a 23-23 tie.
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Olivia Murphy checked in to bounce a hit and force extra points.
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Davidson controlled its final two rallies, however, pocketing a 26-24 set-three victory.
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A total of 13 tied scores and seven lead changes composed of the period.
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The Wildcats went ahead first in the fourth, 6-3.
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Crawford and Ogogor aided to give Wake Forest points, but Davidson tallied a 5-1 push, upping the mark to 12-6.
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Nevertheless, errors by the Wildcats cut their own lead down to 12-10.
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Ashley Slater connected on two consecutive kills and the Deacs found themselves in front, 13-12.
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Wake Forest capitalized on a 7-0 run during the stretch.
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Between back-and-forth rallies, Suess and Crawford were anchors for the Deacons.
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Play was tied at 18-18 at the time in set four.
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Slater then knocked another strong swing and Whillock delivered two more aces, as the Deacs went up three points.
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Wake Forest was led by Crawford in the final stages of a 25-21 finish in the fourth set.
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Suess had an efficient frame in her hits, going 4-of-6 with zero errors (.667).
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Davidson scored the fifth set's opening three points.
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Wake Forest clawed back a bit, and trailed only 8-7 at the midway point of set five.
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Crawford put her squad within one, landing an outside slam.
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A bad set by the Wildcats on the next play created a 10-10 tie.
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The Wildcats made a hitting error, and Megan Merril put her Deacs ahead 12-10 on an ace.
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Davidson called for a subsequent timeout.
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Suess came out of the break to ring two more kills for Wake Forest.
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Slater notched a kill of her own to create another period of extra-points action.
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Davidson grabbed the final two points, securing the victory on a 17-15 decision.
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Wake Forest fell, 3-2.
Standout Stats
In her final collegiate match, Andrea Fuentes pieced an exceptional, double-double performance of 48 assists and 10 digs. It was her tenth double-double of the year and fifth over the last six matches.
Wake Forest saw four individuals rack up seven or more digs, led by Emma Farrell's match-high 21:
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Emma Farrell – 21 digs
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Andrea Fuentes – 10 digs
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Megan Merril – 7 digs
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Kalani Whillock – 7 digs
From the Head Honcho
"Another highly competitive match," said head coach Randi Smart. "I'm proud of our seniors and again give many thanks for all they have done for this program. Words cannot even begin to express. I also want to thank our fans and administration for the support shown all season long. This is such a special group of players and staff that I have the privilege of working with."
Season Highlights
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Wake Forest's 17 wins this fall was its most in a single season since 2010.
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Additionally, the Deacs grabbed 10 victories on their home floor, the most since the 2014 campaign.
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Wake Forest won three of its last four regular-season contests.
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The team's participation in the NIVC involved its first postseason appearance since 1986 when Wake Forest played in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) tournament before the event ceased in 2004.
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This is the first time since 2000-01 that the program has had back-to-back winning seasons.
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The Deacs' .548 winning percentage in 2022 is its best since the 2010 season, when the program recorded a .613 winning percentage mark.
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Wake Forest grabbed eight Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) wins this year, its most since 2010, when the Deacons went 11-9 against conference foes.
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Since week two of the 2022 fall season, Wake Forest found itself ranked within the ACC's top-five among all member institutions in digs-per-set, as a team.
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The Deacons finished fourth in the conference with a 14.02 digs-per-set average.
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Wake Forest also moved into the ACC's top-five in team hitting percentage (.225) during the closing weeks of the regular season.
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Libero Emma Farrell was named the 2022 ACC Freshman of the Year on Nov. 28. The Norcross, Georgia native became the first Demon Deacon to notch such recognition since Christy Williams in 2002, along with being only the second, all-time Wake Forest player.
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Emma Farrell and Paige Crawford were tabbed on the conference's 2022 All-Freshman Team, becoming the first Wake Forest pair to secure All-Freshman selections since Caroline Rassenfoss and Caitlyn Della in 2016.
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For 11 weeks, Emma Farrell stood as the ACC digs-per-set individual leader. She ultimately finished with a 4.41 average that ranked first in the conference.
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The Deacons are the only team to have a freshman ranked in the ACC's top-10 individual leaders in digs.
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Wake Forest earned four ACC weekly honors this season – the highest mark in the head coach Randi Smart era:
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Emma Farrell – ACC Co-Freshman of the Week (Sept. 19, 2022)
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Paige Crawford – ACC Freshman of the Week (Oct. 10, 2022)
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Paige Crawford – ACC Co-Freshman of the Week (Oct. 17, 2022)
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Emma Farrell – ACC Co-Freshman of the Week (Nov. 15, 2022)
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This season is the first time since 2016 that Wake Forest has had two or more individuals receive ACC Freshman of the Week honors. Additionally, it was a first-ever accomplishment in program history for the team in having multiple freshmen notch weekly ACC honors on multiple occasions.
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Graduate student setter Andrea Fuentes reached over 4,500 career assists in a home match versus Pittsburgh on Oct. 28. Two weeks later, during the Deacs' home victory over Virginia Tech (Nov. 13), she passed the 1,500 mark in assists for her Wake Forest tenure.
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Garnering 3-1 wins over North Carolina (Oct. 7) and NC State (Oct. 9) at home secured the first weekend sweep over conference competition for Wake Forest since Oct. 2018.
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The stellar weekend also featured a record-breaking mark of attendance during the North Carolina win, as 714 spectators filled up Varsity Arena – the most-ever individuals present for a single match.
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Back on October 10, in the NCAA's Rating Percentage Index (RPI) rankings, Wake Forest moved up to No. 57 on the list. Over the last two decades, the Deacs have finished within the RPI top-75 by season's end on three separate occasions:
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Wake Forest Volleyball Highest RPI Finishes Since 2000:
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2000 – 69
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2008 – 73
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2010 – 70
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The RPI mark on the Oct. 10th date was Wake Forest's highest ranking in over 20 years.
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Wake Forest went 2-1 in Texas State's 2022 Bobcat Invitational, as Emma Farrell and Ashley Slater landed spots on the All-Tournament Team.
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The Deacons tallied an 8-3 record against non-conference foes through the first half of their fall campaign. Up to date, in the Randi Smart era, the Deacs have pieced a 27-6 overall clip against such opponents.
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Out of the team's five major statistical categories, three Wake Forest newcomers finished as team leaders:
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Kills – Paige Crawford (341)
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Digs – Emma Farrell (507)
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Assists – Andrea Fuentes (664)
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Blocks – Emmy Ogogor (106.0)
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Service Aces – Andrea Fuentes (31)
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