Friday, September 15
Davidson, N.C.
6 P.M.
Wake Forest University
vs
App State
Final Non-Conference Weekend for Deacs to be Held at Davidson Volleyball Invitational
9/14/2023 8:47:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Wake Forest is back in state for a short road trip.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Wake Forest volleyball has reached the final of an ongoing three-week road stretch and is set to compete in Davidson College's hosted 2023 invitational this weekend (Sept. 15-16).
Matchups against in-state opponents make up the event for the Demon Deacons – first facing App State on Friday evening (Sept. 15) before turning around to take on the host Wildcats during Saturday afternoon (Sept. 16).
Live stats will be available for both matches and the Wake Forest-Davidson contest will be streamed on ESPN+.
The Deacs are currently 7-2 overall, their best start since 2019 when the program won ten of the first 11 matches.
2023 Davidson Invitational Schedule
Friday, Sept. 15
Wake Forest vs. App State – 6 p.m. ET
Saturday, Sept. 16
Wake Forest at Davidson – 4 p.m. ET
Last Time Out
Wake Forest is coming off an appearance in the 2023 Kennesaw State Invitational, having played three opponents in three days:
Match One (Friday, Sept. 8) – Kennesaw State 3, Wake Forest 2
Stepping into its first test of the invitational, Wake Forest took on the host Owls in a Friday night (Sept. 8) outing. Competitive rallies went on for a full five sets, but the Demon Deacons ultimately fell in a 3-2 defeat.
The loss was Wake Forest's first of the fall season.
Sophomore setter Rian Baker notched her second double-double of the fall, posting 44 assists and 13 digs.
Friday included the first time this year that Wake Forest had four players register 10 or more kills. Ava Carney (14), Olivia Franke (11), Paige Crawford (11) and Olivia Fish (11) all steadied that end.
Franke made herself a defensive presence with a career-high six digs, along with four blocks. The senior middle blocker hit .471 from the floor in addition to her new season high in kills.
Crawford was close to a double-double, chipping in nine digs to her line.
Emma Farrell led all players in digs (14). Emmy Ogogor went 8-of-18 in attacks with only one error (.389).
Match Two (Saturday, Sept. 9) – Western Michigan 3, Wake Forest 1
Making a quick turnaround for day two, Wake Forest faced Western Michigan on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 9). After dropping the opening two sets, the Demon Deacons bounced back in the third frame before ultimately suffering a 3-1 defeat.
Ava Carney went for a new season high in kills, finishing with 18 on the day. The Pittsburgh native chipped in three blocks as well.
Rian Baker notched her fourth showing of 40-plus assists this fall, tossing out 41, along with five digs and four service aces. The latter tied for a career high.
Emma Farrell again ended as the match leader in digs (18), while Kalani Whillock contributed 10.
Paige Crawford totaled nine kills and six digs. Emmy Ogogor's line of four blocks was a match-best.
Match Three (Sunday, Sept. 10) – Wake Forest 3, Mississippi State 0
Steadying a balanced, controlled tempo from the very start, Wake Forest was in full control during its final match of the weekend, sweeping the Mississippi State Bulldogs in a 3-0 decision on Sunday afternoon (Sept. 10).
The Deacons registered a collective .403 attacking percentage for the contest – their best mark since Aug. 28, 2021, when the team plugged in a .411 clip versus North Alabama.
Paige Crawford fell just short of a double-double, posting a match-best nine kills with nine digs. The sophomore hit .389 from the floor..
Four other Deacs added six or more kills: Emmy Ogogor (8), Dior Charles (7), Ava Carney (6) and Olivia Fish (6).
Ogogor was stellar, going 8-of-9 on attacks with zero errors (.889). Charles' seven kills (.600) and six blocks, the latter of which led all individuals, both marked new season highs.
Rian Baker did a bit of everything, piecing together a line of 28 assists, five blocks, four digs, three kills and three service aces. Her total in assists and aces were match highs.
Emma Farrell and Kalani Whillock contributed 10 digs apiece. Ava Torrance set a new career high in assists with four.
Wake Forest bested the Bulldogs in every major statistical category: points (54.0-32.0), kills (40-23), aces (7-4), blocks (7-5), assists (39-23) and digs (45-25).
Experience in the Middle
A veteran presence of Olivia Franke and Emmy Ogogor as middle blockers has provided consistent efficiency within Wake Forest's attacking tempo. The duo has resulted in the Deacs currently being one of two ACC programs to have multiple players ranked within the top-10 in hitting percentage:
Ogogor and Franke also sit at third and fifth in kills among the team, respectively. The former leads Wake Forest in blocks by a comfortable margin (27.0), while Franke is tied for fourth.
Here Comes Carney
Making starts in six of the team's first nine matches, freshman outside hitter Ava Carney has quickly emerged as a standout. The Pittsburgh native is currently second on the roster in kills (106), having netted 11 or more in six showings. Carney has also produced defensively, tied for fourth with Olivia Franke in blocks. Her 113.0 points also stand second-best for Wake Forest, being one of only two Deacs to have over 100 kills and 100 points thus far.
Additional Notes
Series History
Versus App State
Versus Davidson
Scouting the Opposition
App State remains perfect in its fall slate with a 9-0 overall record, having recently swept a three-day hosted Black and Gold Invitational with wins over North Carolina A&T, USC-Upstate and UNC Greensboro. The Mountaineers have been best in protecting the net, holding a 94.0-61.0 advantage in blocks over opponents and pacing the Sun Belt Conference (SBC) in both total blocks and blocks-per-set average (2.85). McCall Denny (89) and Lulu Ambrose (85) are team leaders in kills while setters Katie Cruise (181 assists) and Sophie Cain (153 assists) have been offensive conductors. Kenady Roper's 122 digs are a team-best total, and Denny sits second with 83. Entering the 2023 season, Denny and sophomore middle blocker Maya Winterhoff earned Preseason All-SBC honors after both landed a spot on the All-SBC Second Team in 2022. Winterhoof is also the reigning SBC Freshman of the Year.
Saturday will be the first meeting between Wake Forest and Davidson since the two faced on Dec. 3, 2022 in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC) postseason tournament. The Wildcats have only dropped one contest this year (7-1 overall), being first in the current Atlantic 10 Conference team standings, and are 3-0 at home. Earlier this week (Sept. 11), middle blocker Mia Compas was named the A10 Rookie of the Week, following up on Bella Brady's conference Defensive Player of the Week nod on Sept. 5. Three Davidson individuals have tallied 62 or more kills. As a group, the Wildcats rank second in the conference in points, assists, kills and digs.
Up Next
The start of conference play will begin for Wake Forest in a two-week homestand, as Miami and Florida State are set to come to Winston-Salem next weekend on Sept. 22 and 24, respectively.
Follow the Deacs
Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | GoDeacs.com
Matchups against in-state opponents make up the event for the Demon Deacons – first facing App State on Friday evening (Sept. 15) before turning around to take on the host Wildcats during Saturday afternoon (Sept. 16).
Live stats will be available for both matches and the Wake Forest-Davidson contest will be streamed on ESPN+.
The Deacs are currently 7-2 overall, their best start since 2019 when the program won ten of the first 11 matches.
2023 Davidson Invitational Schedule
Friday, Sept. 15
Wake Forest vs. App State – 6 p.m. ET
Saturday, Sept. 16
Wake Forest at Davidson – 4 p.m. ET
Last Time Out
Wake Forest is coming off an appearance in the 2023 Kennesaw State Invitational, having played three opponents in three days:
Match One (Friday, Sept. 8) – Kennesaw State 3, Wake Forest 2
Stepping into its first test of the invitational, Wake Forest took on the host Owls in a Friday night (Sept. 8) outing. Competitive rallies went on for a full five sets, but the Demon Deacons ultimately fell in a 3-2 defeat.
The loss was Wake Forest's first of the fall season.
Sophomore setter Rian Baker notched her second double-double of the fall, posting 44 assists and 13 digs.
Friday included the first time this year that Wake Forest had four players register 10 or more kills. Ava Carney (14), Olivia Franke (11), Paige Crawford (11) and Olivia Fish (11) all steadied that end.
Franke made herself a defensive presence with a career-high six digs, along with four blocks. The senior middle blocker hit .471 from the floor in addition to her new season high in kills.
Crawford was close to a double-double, chipping in nine digs to her line.
Emma Farrell led all players in digs (14). Emmy Ogogor went 8-of-18 in attacks with only one error (.389).
Match Two (Saturday, Sept. 9) – Western Michigan 3, Wake Forest 1
Making a quick turnaround for day two, Wake Forest faced Western Michigan on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 9). After dropping the opening two sets, the Demon Deacons bounced back in the third frame before ultimately suffering a 3-1 defeat.
Ava Carney went for a new season high in kills, finishing with 18 on the day. The Pittsburgh native chipped in three blocks as well.
Rian Baker notched her fourth showing of 40-plus assists this fall, tossing out 41, along with five digs and four service aces. The latter tied for a career high.
Emma Farrell again ended as the match leader in digs (18), while Kalani Whillock contributed 10.
Paige Crawford totaled nine kills and six digs. Emmy Ogogor's line of four blocks was a match-best.
Match Three (Sunday, Sept. 10) – Wake Forest 3, Mississippi State 0
Steadying a balanced, controlled tempo from the very start, Wake Forest was in full control during its final match of the weekend, sweeping the Mississippi State Bulldogs in a 3-0 decision on Sunday afternoon (Sept. 10).
The Deacons registered a collective .403 attacking percentage for the contest – their best mark since Aug. 28, 2021, when the team plugged in a .411 clip versus North Alabama.
Paige Crawford fell just short of a double-double, posting a match-best nine kills with nine digs. The sophomore hit .389 from the floor..
Four other Deacs added six or more kills: Emmy Ogogor (8), Dior Charles (7), Ava Carney (6) and Olivia Fish (6).
Ogogor was stellar, going 8-of-9 on attacks with zero errors (.889). Charles' seven kills (.600) and six blocks, the latter of which led all individuals, both marked new season highs.
Rian Baker did a bit of everything, piecing together a line of 28 assists, five blocks, four digs, three kills and three service aces. Her total in assists and aces were match highs.
Emma Farrell and Kalani Whillock contributed 10 digs apiece. Ava Torrance set a new career high in assists with four.
Wake Forest bested the Bulldogs in every major statistical category: points (54.0-32.0), kills (40-23), aces (7-4), blocks (7-5), assists (39-23) and digs (45-25).
Experience in the Middle
A veteran presence of Olivia Franke and Emmy Ogogor as middle blockers has provided consistent efficiency within Wake Forest's attacking tempo. The duo has resulted in the Deacs currently being one of two ACC programs to have multiple players ranked within the top-10 in hitting percentage:
- Emmy Ogogor – 7th in hitting percentage (.469)
- Olivia Franke – 10th in hitting percentage (.417)
Ogogor and Franke also sit at third and fifth in kills among the team, respectively. The former leads Wake Forest in blocks by a comfortable margin (27.0), while Franke is tied for fourth.
Here Comes Carney
Making starts in six of the team's first nine matches, freshman outside hitter Ava Carney has quickly emerged as a standout. The Pittsburgh native is currently second on the roster in kills (106), having netted 11 or more in six showings. Carney has also produced defensively, tied for fourth with Olivia Franke in blocks. Her 113.0 points also stand second-best for Wake Forest, being one of only two Deacs to have over 100 kills and 100 points thus far.
Additional Notes
- Per Thursday (Sept. 14), following the first three weeks of the 2023 campaign, Wake Forest ranks third among all ACC member schools in team hitting percentage (.283).
- Paige Crawford is nearing her 500th career kill, needing only 49 more.
- The Deacs hold an advantage over their opponents in five major statistical categories:
- Kills: 448 to 360
- Hitting Percentage: .283 to .187
- Assists: 410 to 340
- Digs: 446 to 383
- Blocks: 62.0 to 54.0
- Having now either led all individuals or tied for the match lead in digs seven times through nine appearances this season, Emma Farrell ranks seventh in the ACC for digs (3.88/set).
- Rian Baker has notched 40-plus assists on separate occasions this year, already surpassing her total of three during 2022. She sits at fourth in assists among all conference individuals (10.06/set).
- Wake Forest has won seven of its last eight matchups against App State.
Series History
Versus App State
- Series: Wake Forest leads, 16-11
- Last Time: Sept. 11, 2021
- Result: W, 3-1
Versus Davidson
- Series: Wake Forest leads, 9-3
- Last Time: Dec. 3, 2022 (NIVC Tournament)
- Result: L, 2-3
Scouting the Opposition
App State remains perfect in its fall slate with a 9-0 overall record, having recently swept a three-day hosted Black and Gold Invitational with wins over North Carolina A&T, USC-Upstate and UNC Greensboro. The Mountaineers have been best in protecting the net, holding a 94.0-61.0 advantage in blocks over opponents and pacing the Sun Belt Conference (SBC) in both total blocks and blocks-per-set average (2.85). McCall Denny (89) and Lulu Ambrose (85) are team leaders in kills while setters Katie Cruise (181 assists) and Sophie Cain (153 assists) have been offensive conductors. Kenady Roper's 122 digs are a team-best total, and Denny sits second with 83. Entering the 2023 season, Denny and sophomore middle blocker Maya Winterhoff earned Preseason All-SBC honors after both landed a spot on the All-SBC Second Team in 2022. Winterhoof is also the reigning SBC Freshman of the Year.
Saturday will be the first meeting between Wake Forest and Davidson since the two faced on Dec. 3, 2022 in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC) postseason tournament. The Wildcats have only dropped one contest this year (7-1 overall), being first in the current Atlantic 10 Conference team standings, and are 3-0 at home. Earlier this week (Sept. 11), middle blocker Mia Compas was named the A10 Rookie of the Week, following up on Bella Brady's conference Defensive Player of the Week nod on Sept. 5. Three Davidson individuals have tallied 62 or more kills. As a group, the Wildcats rank second in the conference in points, assists, kills and digs.
Up Next
The start of conference play will begin for Wake Forest in a two-week homestand, as Miami and Florida State are set to come to Winston-Salem next weekend on Sept. 22 and 24, respectively.
Follow the Deacs
Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | GoDeacs.com
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Volleyball
MB/RS
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DS/OH
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