Deacons Fall in Five at Notre Dame on Friday Night

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Starting its final week of road matches for the 2023 regular season, Wake Forest volleyball (17-10, 8-8) visited Notre Dame (11-14, 5-12) on Friday evening (Nov. 17). The Demon Deacons suffered a 3-2 defeat after going to five sets for a third-straight showing.

Rian Baker notched her sixth double-double of the year, finishing with a career-high 51 assists, along with 12 digs.

In addition to Baker, three other Deacs tallied double-figures in digs: Emma Farrell (22 – good for a match high), Kalani Whillock (17 – tied for a season high) and Ava Torrance (14 – tied for a career high). Farrell's mark in digs was her fourth season performance of 20 or more.

It was the fourth time this year in which four Wake Forest players totaled 10 or more kills: Ava Carney (13), Emmy Ogogor (12), Ashley Slater (11) and Paige Crawford (11).

How it Happened

After Notre Dame suffered an early service error, Emmy Ogogor was the first Deacon to net a kill.
- Paige Crawford then followed suit from the left side.
A block by Ogogor and Rian Baker tied the scoreboard at 4-4 in set one.
Enjoying an immediate 5-0 push, Wake Forest went up 7-4.
- The Fighting Irish suffered a few mistakes on attacks.
Olivia Franke threw down a ball during the midst of a few traded possessions.
- Her classmate Ashley Slater mirrored the same, ultimately forcing the first timeout of the night.
  - Wake Forest led 11-7 at the time.
Baker then stepped back onto the floor and lined a service ace.
Notre Dame responded by scoring on four of its next five tries.
- Crawford had an answer, however, putting down a pair of kills.
Working up a 4-0 push, the host evened the opening frame at 16 all.
- The Deacs subsequently took a timeout.
Errors continued to hurt Notre Dame and Wake Forest took advantage, jumping back ahead, 20-17.
Several traded rallies ensued.
After Slater made another nice swing, the Fighting Irish again talked things over in a timeout, down 23-21.
Landing an ace, Notre Dame tied things at 23-23 in the first.
- Set point was reached on an unorthodox kill before the team committed an error on its next serve.
Underway in extra points, Ogogor firstly netted a timely hit and then tied the score at 26-26.
Baker made a swift, dump kill to keep it even (27-27).
A final kill by Franke and a combined block by the senior and Crawford finally put the first set to rest, 30-28.
- Ava Carney and Emma Farrell posted six kills and digs, respectively, in the frame.
- Baker handed out 13 assists.
Crawford and Ogogor gave the Deacon offense an edge right into set two, as action stayed close.
- Wake Forest led 7-5 at the time.
Kalani Whillock delivered an ace, and Notre Dame called for a break, trailing 10-6.
Settling into a groove with strong attacking looks, Wake Forest bumped its advantage to 14-8.
Errors continued to plague Notre Dame, and Carney soon reached her eighth kill of the night.
- The Deacons remained in front, 21-14.
Kills by Crawford and Slater placed the team at set point.
A serving error by Notre Dame gave Wake Forest the set victory, 25-17.
- Franke was 6-of-9 on her attacks with zero errors (.667 hitting percentage) while Baker had 25 assists and four digs.
- Farrell stood at a dozen digs.
A 5-5 tied score opened set three.
- Most of the same persisted, leading to an 8-8 mark.
Notre Dame found some breathing room to surge ahead 13-9 before Wake Forest took a floor break.
- Crawford and Ogogor next clocked a kill apiece.
An ace by Crawford tied the margin (14-14) and Whillock soon laced on of her own to give her squad a one-point lead (18-17).
Another even score was created at 20 all.
- Notre Dame went up by three late in the third.
  - Crawford cut the momentum with a landing hit.
The Fighting Irish reached set point on a right-sided kill.
One more hit from near the middle ended set three, 25-21, in Notre Dame's favor.
- Baker, Farrell, Whillock and Ava Torrance all had 10 or more digs through three frames.
Notre Dame led 7-3 to start set four.
Dior Charles and Audrey Douglas soon entered the contest.
Franke knocked a kill to cut the deficit to 11-7.
The Fighting Irish tallied four consecutive points to head into the media break up 15-7.
Olivia Fish was next to step into the match for Wake Forest, soon hammering two kills.
Notre Dame remained ahead in the fourth, 19-11.
- An ace and kill by the team led to set point.
Sending in one more kill, the Fighting Irish won set four on a 25-15 decision.
Ogogor helped add points to Wake Forest's column right away in set five, as the board read 5-5.
Carney came alive for a couple of big hits from the left side, giving her Deacs an 8-7 lead before the two sides switched ends of the court.
Notre Dame notched a narrow edge, 10-9, after an ace.
A 3-1 lead upped the gain to 13-10 for the Fighting Irish.
Notre Dame knotted two final kills to win the fifth, 15-11.
Wake Forest fell, 3-2.

Standout Stats

Four Deacs finished with double-digit numbers in digs:
- Emma Farrell (22)
- Kalani Whillock (17)
- Ava Torrance (14)
- Rian Baker (12)
For the fourth time in 2023, four Wake Forest individuals tallied double figures in kills:
- Ava Carney (13)
- Emmy Ogogor (12)
- Ashley Slater (11)
- Paige Crawford (11)
Rian Baker reached a new career high in assists versus the Fighting Irish, finishing with 51.

From Coach Smart

"We again had a fiery start but were not able to finish out the way we wished to," said head coach Randi Smart. "Defensively, I felt several players played hard, led by Emma. There are still some things to clean up as we go into these final two matches of the regular season. Sunday is another chance to perform the way we desire for a full match."

Up Next

Wake Forest's second stop of the weekend will happen in Blacksburg, Virginia, as the Deacs visit the Virginia Tech Hokies on Sunday afternoon (Nov. 19). First serve is scheduled for 12 p.m. ET and the match will be streamed on ACC Network Extra.

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Team Stats

Carney Ava

Ogogor Emmy

Slater Ashley

Paige Crawford

Players Mentioned

Rian Baker

Dior Charles

Paige Crawford

Audrey Douglas

Emma Farrell

Olivia Fish

Olivia Franke

Emmy Ogogor

Ashley Slater

Ava Torrance

Kalani Whillock

Wake Forest Athletics