Wake Forest University
5-2,0-0ACC
Sam Houston
3-8,0-0WAC
Demon Deacons Go Undefeated in Day One of Bobcat Invitational
9/10/2022 6:09:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
A couple of individuals made a return to match action during Saturday’s doubleheader.
SAN MARCOS, Texas – Behind high-flying scoring and ample hustle plays, Wake Forest volleyball (6-2) upped its win streak to four on Saturday (Sept. 10) during day one of the 2022 Bobcat Invitational, hosted on the grounds of Texas State University.
The Deacs firstly swept Sam Houston State, 3-0, in the morning before coming from behind in a 3-1 win over Ole Miss.
Senior Peyton Suess recorded the 500th dig of her collegiate career in the closing moments of the Ole Miss victory.
Match 1 - Wake Forest 3, Sam Houston 0
Matched up against a testy Bearkat group, Wake Forest opened Saturday morning with a poised 3-0 sweep over Sam Houston State (25-20, 25-14, 27-25).
As a team, Wake Forest handed out a season-best 11 service aces.
Playing back in her home state, Paige Crawford shined with 10 kills, four digs, and a new career high of four service aces. Senior hitter Peyton Suess added 10 kills of her own.
Andrea Fuentes stood out in her return to the hardwood, finishing with 34 assists, eight digs, and two service aces.
Audrey Douglas, Olivia Franke, and Emmy Ogogor plugged in seven kills apiece. Douglas had another efficient performance from the floor, going 7-of-14 in attacks with only one error (.429). Ogogor added three total blocks for the fourth time in five matches.
Emma Farrell led all individuals on the defensive side with 20 digs. Megan Merril posted 11 digs and three service aces.
How it Happened
-
Sam Houston scored the first five points of the opening set before Wake Forest subsequently called a timeout.
-
Olivia Franke and Peyton Suess traded kills to put the Deacs on the board.
-
A service ace by the former had her team trailing 8-5.
-
-
The Bearkats tacked on four more consecutive points through a few long rallies.
-
Coming out of another timeout, Paige Crawford swung home a hard kill, with Wake Forest down 12-6.
-
The Deacons continued to claw back, as Suess helped cut into the deficit, 15-12, with a pair of swings.
-
Wake Forest next mounted a 6-0 scoring run, highlighted by a strong block from Franke and Suess.
-
The Deacs led 20-17 before Sam Houston took another timeout break.
-
-
A couple of attack errors from both sides, including a reviewed play, led to Wake Forest going up late in the first, 23-20.
-
Emmy Ogogor leaped for a solo block, followed by the senior teaming up with Audrey Douglas on another rejection to secure a come-from-behind set one victory.
-
The Black and Old Gold won the first set, 25-20.
-
-
Wake Forest's hitters highlighted the second's opening possessions, giving the team a 6-3 lead.
-
A service ace by Crawford soon stretched the advantage to 11-5.
-
Sam Houston took time to talk things over.
-
-
The Bearkats had a few successful tries afterward but indeed suffered from their own mistakes and stayed behind, 18-10.
-
Wake Forest got hot in its serving game, as Crawford reached her third service ace in the second frame.
-
-
After Kalani Whillock slammed an aggressive spike, Wake Forest capitalized off a few Sam Houston errors and an Andrea Fuentes ace to win another period of play.
-
Wake Forest took set two, 25-14.
-
-
Things were closely played in the third frame, tied at 6-6 early.
-
Sam Houston soon used a quick 5-1 run to leap out in front, 11-7.
-
Several different Deacs placed points into the column for Wake Forest, coming back to trail only 19-17.
-
Fuentes had 29 assists and seven digs at the time.
-
-
A Franke kill and ace by Megan Merril created an even score of 19-19.
-
Crawford rang in two more kills for another tied score at 23-23.
-
Sam Houston forced its way into extra points, but Wake Forest had a final answer:
-
Ogogor punched a kill and the Deacon defense forced an attack error on the next play.
-
Wake Forest won the third set, 27-25, and swept Sam Houston in a 3-0 decision.
-
Match 2 - Wake Forest 3, Ole Miss 1
Returning to the floor in a short turnaround, Wake Forest locked in as a unit during its afternoon tilt against Ole Miss (2-5 overall). After dropping the opening set, the Demon Deacons stormed back through rallies to secure a 3-1 victory (16-25, 25-19, 25-23, 25-16).
The win was Wake Forest's second over an SEC foe in a week.
Ashley Slater led the way on an exceptional performance of 12 kills and a .360 hitting clip. Paige Crawford had an all-around showing of 11 kills, nine digs, and three service aces.
Emmy Ogogor chipped in eight kills while Olivia Franke registered five of her own, along with assisting on four blocks.
Andrea Fuentes and Rian Baker dished out 23 and 14 assists, respectively. Emma Farrell paced the Deacs' defense with 11 digs.
Wake Forest went for a new season high in total blocks as a group (13).
How it Happened
-
Emmy Ogogor was the first Deacon to put in a point, doing so on an off-handed kill.
-
Ole Miss created an opening lead, 6-2, after putting a kill down the middle.
-
A service ace soon afterward kept the Rebels ahead, 11-4.
-
Wake Forest then called its first timeout of the contest.
-
-
Ogogor and Douglas produced back-to-back blocks to give Wake Forest some light, but the Deacs stayed behind as another timeout was called in the opening set, 18-9.
-
Ashley Slater and Olivia Murphy checked in to deliver hammers for the Deacons, while Douglas assisted on three blocks during the period.
-
Ultimately, Ole Miss took advantage of a Wake Forest attacking error to finish out set one, 25-16.
-
Ogogor opened the second set with two kills.
-
Slater followed on a personal 3-0 spree, as Wake Forest led 9-5.
-
-
Coming out of a timeout, Wake Forest stayed hot in the second, leading 13-6 after Paige Crawford nailed an attack.
-
Ole Miss then strung up a 6-1 run.
-
Crawford and Ogogor combined to make it a three-point gain again, 16-13.
-
Nevertheless, both sides continued to go at it, as the Rebels stayed close.
-
-
Defending at the net especially helped Wake Forest hold onto its lead, heading into another timeout break up 19-15.
-
Franke came alive with successful attacks, and Suess fired a long punch to give Wake Forest a set two win, 25-19.
-
Slater tallied five kills during the set.
-
-
Back-and-forth action opened up set three, tied at 7-7.
-
Errors soon hurt Ole Miss, with Wake Forest going up 10-7.
-
Using a small run, the Rebels evened the board again minutes later at 11 all.
-
Once again, attacking errors put Ole Miss behind, 17-14, and Slater continued to keep the flurries going for her Deacs.
-
Kalani Whillock caught the Ole Miss defense lacking with a service ace, and Crawford followed on an outside hit to bump up the Deacon advantage to 20-15 in set three.
-
Ole Miss refused to quiet down, piecing a 4-0 boost to trail 22-20.
-
The score was evened moments later, 23-23.
-
-
However, the Rebels suffered yet another attacking error, and Ogogor swatted one down to put away set three, 25-23.
-
Much of the same story continued in the fourth set's opening stages – Wake Forest led 7-3 to start.
-
Slater maintained her stand as a force, netting additional kills.
-
The Deacs stayed ahead, 12-9, in set four.
-
-
Wake Forest's lead narrowed to a one-point gain by the next timeout, 14-13.
-
The margin was tied for only a brief moment before the Deacs exploded on a final 11-2 push.
-
First, six consecutive points took place, followed by four more.
-
Peyton Suess notched her 500th dig in the match's second-to-final possession.
-
In front of her hometown friends and family, Crawford knocked in the final kill, capping a 25-16 finish in the fourth.
-
-
Wake Forest defeated Ole Miss, 3-1.
Standout Stats
A new player milestone was achieved on Saturday when Peyton Suess reached the 500th dig of her Demon Deacon career. The play happened in Wake Forest's second-to-final possession.
In just her second appearance of the season, Ashley Slater played with urgency and confidence during the Deacs' battle against Ole Miss. The junior ultimately finished with a team-best 12 kills on a .360 attacking percentage.
From the Head Honcho
"The team continues to develop and build their identity," said head coach Randi Smart. "We asked a few players to step into different positions, and they did great. I am proud of them. These are two really good wins against two great teams."
Up Next
Wake Forest will round out its invitational stay with an early Sunday afternoon (9/11) outing versus the host team, Texas State, at 1 p.m. ET.
