Wake Forest University
Arizona
Volleyball Gears Up For Pair of Weekend Matches
8/31/2022 4:25:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
The Deacs are back in Reynolds Gymnasium on Saturday night.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Settled into week two of the 2022 fall season, Wake Forest volleyball prepares to open September with two matches slated for the end of this week.
The Demon Deacons will first travel to nearby Chapel Hill for a Friday afternoon (Sept. 2) test against Arizona before returning to Reynolds Gymnasium to host South Carolina on Saturday evening (Sept. 3).
Last weekend, Wake Forest finished 2-1 in its hosted invitational, picking up wins over NC Central and Kennesaw State.
The Matchups
Friday, Sept. 2 – Wake Forest vs. Arizona (at North Carolina) – 3:30 p.m. ET
Saturday, Sept. 3 – South Carolina at Wake Forest – 7 p.m. ET
Last Time Out
Wake Forest 3, NCCU 0
Spectators in Reynolds Gymnasium witnessed a balanced, offensive attack by Wake Forest Volleyball in its season opener last Friday (Aug. 26). Working as a complete unit, the Demon Deacons defeated NC Central in three sets for a home victory in the team's season opener (25-12, 25-5, 25-20).
Freshman Paige Crawford led the way with a double-double of 13 kills and 10 digs in her collegiate debut. She was one of three Deacs to plug in double-digit numbers in digs, as classmate Emma Farrell chipped in 13 of those.
Setter Andrea Fuentes played a major role in steadying Wake Forest's offensive tempo, dishing out 28 assists to lead all individuals. The graduate student also added 10 assists and three service aces. Sophomore Kalani Whillock had a well-rounded performance of six kills, seven digs, and three service aces.
The Deacons stood out in their serving game, delivering nine aces in comparison to the Eagles' one.
Wake Forest outperformed the Eagles in all major statistical categories of points, kills, service aces, blocks, assists, and digs.
A total of 504 fans in attendance set a new record for the most in Randi Smart's head coaching tenure in the program.
Western Carolina 3, Wake Forest 2
In what was arguably the weekend's most competitive match, Wake Forest went the length of five sets against the Catamounts of Western Carolina on Saturday afternoon (Aug. 2) but fell short in the final frame (25-20, 22-25, 25-23, 22-25, 9-15).
Fuentes recorded 50 assists, marking the fifth time she has achieved such a feat in her Demon Deacon career. The graduate student also plugged in 18 digs for her second double-double in as many matches.
Farrell again stood out defensively with a match-best 27 digs. Crawford finished as the team leader in kills for a second straight match, totaling 18. Olivia Murphy, Emmy Ogogor, and Peyton Suess contributed seven kills apiece.
Wake Forest 3, Kennesaw State 1
Shaking off the WCU loss, Wake Forest stepped back onto the floor for its final match with a collected focus during Saturday evening (Aug. 27), en route to defeating Kennesaw State in four periods (20-25, 25-18, 26-24, 27-25).
Suess set the tone from the start, ending the night with 21 kills to lead all players while recording a new career-high in the process.
Murphy and Rian Baker played key roles in their first collegiate starts. Baker paced the offense with a match-high 46 assists. The Rolling Meadows, Illinois native's 10 digs gave her a double-double. Meanwhile, Murphy fell just short of her own double-double, ending with 13 kills and nine assists.
Wake Forest's defense saw notable contributions from Farrell and Megan Merril, as the two racked up 17 and 14 digs, respectively. The mark was a career-best by Merril, who also chipped in two aces.
Goodbye, Summer!
Fans are invited to join in on the fun at Wake Forest's 'Goodbye, Summer!" theme night this Saturday during the matchup versus South Carolina. Prior to the contest's 7 p.m. start time, a beach-themed photo booth will be available right outside of Varsity Arena in Reynolds Gymnasium. Additionally, fans are encouraged to wear beach attire and a sunglasses giveaway will take place for spectators who show up early for the match.
Suess' Standout Night
During Wake Forest's most recent outing, Peyton Suess caught fire on the attacking end, ultimately leading her squad in kills (21) in the win over Kennesaw State to notch a new career-high. The senior's previous best mark in kills was 19 versus Seton Hall on September 21, 2019. Additionally, Suess became the first Wake Forest player to tally 20 or more kills since Kamryn Malloy's 23 against Miami on Oct. 22, 2021.
Can You Dig It?
Freshman libero Emma Farrell has already turned some heads in her first few matches as a Deac. The Norcross, Georgia, native started each of the three matches during opening weekend and collected 57 total digs. That total is second-most among individuals within the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and Farrell's 4.75 digs-per-set average ranks third-best.
Series History
Friday's match will be the first-ever match between Wake Forest and Arizona.
Versus South Carolina
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Series: Tied at 3-3
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Last Meeting: Sept. 9, 2016
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Result: L, 2-3
Scouting the Opposition
Opening its season in the 2022 Cactus Classic this past weekend, Arizona went 3-0, defeating Long Island, New Mexico State, and Alabama State all in sweeps. The Wildcats held the upper hand in kills, totaling 117 throughout the tournament, in comparison to 67 by their opponents. Additionally, Arizona averaged eight blocks and service aces as a team per match. Sofia Maldonado Diaz, Alayna Johnson, and Puk Stubbe all give the team reliable attacking options, orchestrated by junior setter Emery Herman's 60 assists thus far. Defensively, senior Kamaile Hiapo is the go-to libero. Arizona was selected to finish 10th on this year's Pac-12 Women's Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll.
Likewise to Arizona, South Carolina has also started its season on a 3-0 clip. Competing in the 2022 Carolina Classic (Aug. 26-27), the Gamecocks plugged in wins over Sacred Heart, Nebraska Omaha, and Winthrop. McKenzie Moorman has already been a highly efficient hitter, holding a .478 attacking percentage and leading her team in kills (42). Libero Jenna Hampton, a Preseason All-SEC Team selection, paces South Carolina's defense with 37 digs. South Carolina landed at the sixth spot in the conference's Preseason Coaches Poll.
Up Next
Wake Forest travels to NC A&T for an early-week road match next Tuesday (Sept. 6).
