Sunday, October 8
Syracuse, N.Y.
12 P.M.
Wake Forest University
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Syracuse
2-14,0-6ACC
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Wake Forest
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Deacs Pick Up Fourth Weekend Sweep with Sunday Win at Syracuse
10/8/2023 3:00:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Ashley Slater had the most efficient hitting performance of the year!
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Redirecting its focus to a Sunday (Oct. 8) road test at Syracuse (2-14, 0-6), Wake Forest volleyball (13-4, 3-2) got the deed done during the afternoon, once again winning three consecutive sets en route to a 3-1 victory.
It was ultimately the Demon Deacons' first win over Syracuse since Oct. 4, 2019.
This is the fastest Wake Forest has reached 13 wins in a single season since 2008, when the program also held a 13-4 mark in early October.
Additionally, Wake Forest moved to 4-1 overall on the road.
Sunday's win officially marked back-to-back years in which the team has won four of its first six conference matches.
Showing up big on her birthday, Ashley Slater produced a monster performance in her hitting – striking an exceptional .706 attacking percentage and going 12-of-17 from the floor with zero errors. It was the highest hitting clip by a Wake Forest individual this season, along with a new season high in kills for Slater.
Ava Carney led all players in kills (18) while adding five digs and three blocks.
The Deacon defense again impressed with totals in digs, as four players had eight or more: Emma Farrell (12), Ava Torrance (12), Kylie Adams (8 - career high) and Kalani Whillock (8).
Rian Baker and Adams handed out 26 and 23 assists, respectively. The former added six digs and two service aces to her final line.
Emmy Ogogor produced nine kills (.412), a team-high five blocks, and four digs. Paige Crawford contributed nine kills of her own.
How it Happened
Standout Stats
Additional Notes
From Coach Smart
"Once again, I felt we did well in regrouping and gathering ourselves after the first set," said head coach Randi Smart. "What a day for Ashley Slater – she was incredible and we are so happy to be able to celebrate her. We're continuing to get better at certain things, both defensively and offensively. Our effort in getting digs and trying to protect the net has been great to see, and our attackers have played with nice aggression. Wins on the road this weekend should give us motivation to get in the gym for another week of challenging competition here soon.
Up Next
The Deacs will hold their first midweek matchup next Wednesday (Oct. 11), hosting Virginia Tech, before making a short trip over to Raleigh for a Friday night outing at NC State (Oct. 13) – its first Big Four test of the fall.
Follow the Deacs
Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | GoDeacs.com
It was ultimately the Demon Deacons' first win over Syracuse since Oct. 4, 2019.
This is the fastest Wake Forest has reached 13 wins in a single season since 2008, when the program also held a 13-4 mark in early October.
Additionally, Wake Forest moved to 4-1 overall on the road.
Sunday's win officially marked back-to-back years in which the team has won four of its first six conference matches.
Showing up big on her birthday, Ashley Slater produced a monster performance in her hitting – striking an exceptional .706 attacking percentage and going 12-of-17 from the floor with zero errors. It was the highest hitting clip by a Wake Forest individual this season, along with a new season high in kills for Slater.
Ava Carney led all players in kills (18) while adding five digs and three blocks.
The Deacon defense again impressed with totals in digs, as four players had eight or more: Emma Farrell (12), Ava Torrance (12), Kylie Adams (8 - career high) and Kalani Whillock (8).
Rian Baker and Adams handed out 26 and 23 assists, respectively. The former added six digs and two service aces to her final line.
Emmy Ogogor produced nine kills (.412), a team-high five blocks, and four digs. Paige Crawford contributed nine kills of her own.
How it Happened
- Ava Carney and Dior Charles connected on a block right away on the match's first possession.
- Things were then tied at 3-3 in the opening set.
- Emmy Ogogor made three consecutive kills to put Wake Forest in front, 7-5.
- Carney and Crawford followed with a hit apiece for points and Ogogor laced a service before Syracuse was forced to call a timeout.
- The Deacons led 11-6 at the time in the first set.
- The Orange responded with a 5-1 run coming out of the break, making it a one-point game.
- Olivia Fish rose from vert to punch in a ball and cut the momentum.
- A steady middle presence by Wake Forest helped keep a lead alive through the next few rallies.
- However, Syracuse again picked up its intensity, scoring three in a row and again cutting the deficit to one (17-16).
- Successful hits by Carney and Crawford next took place.
- Syracuse earned a successful challenge before taking a slight 21-20 gain.
- Capitalizing on a Wake Forest attacking error and then delivering a kill, the Orange reached their 23rd point.
- Olivia Franke checked in for the Black and Old Gold and swung for a kill.
- Capitalizing on a Wake Forest attacking error and then delivering a kill, the Orange reached their 23rd point.
- A final hit by Syracuse put an end to set one in its favor, 25-23.
- Carney and Ogogor each had five kills through the opening frame, while Emma Farrell collected five digs.
- Similar to the first, action in set two was evenly played from the jump – tied at 5-5.
- A 3-0 push bumped the Orange up by three.
- Wake Forest subsequently called for a timeout.
- Crawford answered with a nicely timed tip kill.
- Wake Forest subsequently called for a timeout.
- A 3-0 push bumped the Orange up by three.
- Traded rallies remained active, resulting in another tied margin (9-9).
- Errors by Syracuse allowed Wake Forest to take the edge, 13-11.
- Ashley Slater checked in for the Deacs.
- Much of the same continued through the second with hustle on defense and aggressive attacks (16-16).
- Wake Forest's hitters threw down kills moments later after the even score for a three-point advantage.
- With a few more balanced plays, including a Rian Baker ace, Wake Forest bounced back in set two, 25-19.
- Carney had nine kills by the break.
- Syracuse opened the third up 4-1.
- Led by three kills in a row by Slater, Wake Forest tallied a 4-0 run.
- Carney tacked two punches, back-to-back style, as the Deacons caused a lead change (9-6).
- The Orange again tried to make something happen quickly, jumping on a 4-1 spurt.
- Nevertheless, Carney refused to cool off and Slater remained a spark, helping their squad stay ahead (17-12).
- Crawford lined an ace to extend the advantage by eight.
- Franke powered a kill from the right to finish off set three for Wake Forest, 25-16.
- Farrell and Ava Torrance had nine digs apiece through three frames.
- In a familiar fashion, the board was tied at 5 all once set four unfolded.
- Kylie Adams served an ace to break Wake Forest free and hold a 12-19 mark.
- The Deacs kept steady in their attacking game, upping things to 17-13.
- Slater, Rian Baker, and Ogogor next all chipped in a kill.
- Syracuse worked its way back into the fourth, trailing only 20-19.
- The Deacons stayed calm, as Carney slammed a ball hard from the left side and Baker made a key ace immediately afterward.
- The former put Wake Forest at match point, jumping from the same spot.
- A final block by Carney and Charles wrapped the match in the fourth, 25-19.
- Wake Forest defeated Syracuse, 3-1.
Standout Stats
- Ashley Slater reached a new season high in kills (12) while notching an outstanding .706 hitting percentage – the highest single-match mark by any Wake Forest player thus far in 2023.
- Wake Forest outperformed Syracuse in:
- Points: 75.0 – 54.0
- Kills: 60 – 37
- Assists: 57 – 35
- Digs: 63 – 46
- Ava Torrance tied the team high in digs (12) – her fifth performance of the year featuring double-figures within that category.
- The Deacs hit .394 (17-4-33) in the third set.
- Ava Carney finished with 20.0 points.
Additional Notes
- Emmy Ogogor averaged 10.5 kills and 6.5 blocks for the weekend.
- Emma Farrell finished the weekend road trip with a 4.5 digs-per-set average.
- Ava Carney has had five showings of 15 or more kills during the fall.
From Coach Smart
"Once again, I felt we did well in regrouping and gathering ourselves after the first set," said head coach Randi Smart. "What a day for Ashley Slater – she was incredible and we are so happy to be able to celebrate her. We're continuing to get better at certain things, both defensively and offensively. Our effort in getting digs and trying to protect the net has been great to see, and our attackers have played with nice aggression. Wins on the road this weekend should give us motivation to get in the gym for another week of challenging competition here soon.
Up Next
The Deacs will hold their first midweek matchup next Wednesday (Oct. 11), hosting Virginia Tech, before making a short trip over to Raleigh for a Friday night outing at NC State (Oct. 13) – its first Big Four test of the fall.
Follow the Deacs
Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | GoDeacs.com
Team Stats
WF
SU
Kills
60
37
Errors
26
24
Attempts
142
134
Hitting %
.239
.097
Points
75.0
54.0
Assists
57
35
Aces
5
6
Blocks
10
11
Game Leaders
Kills
18
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
12
Aces
0
Blocks
4
Kills
9
Aces
1
Blocks
5
Kills
9
Aces
1
Blocks
0
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Volleyball
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/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
DS
/ Women's Volleyball
OH/RS
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
MB/RS
/ Women's Volleyball
OH/RS
/ Women's Volleyball
DS
/ Women's Volleyball
DS/OH
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