Wake Forest Falls to No. 22 Miami in Sunday Showdown

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Wrapping its first home weekend within Atlantic Coast Conference play on Sunday afternoon, Wake Forest volleyball faced No. 22 Miami inside Varsity Arena. The Demon Deacons (7-8, 1-3 ACC) created multiple lead changes and traded rallies throughout the final two sets before falling to the Hurricanes (14-1, 4-0 ACC) in a 3-0 finish.

Senior Emma Farrell turned heads with her exceptional defense, finishing with a match-high 20 digs. It was the fifth time this year in which the libero tallied 20 or more digs. Farrell also had four assists on nine attempts for a .444 percentage.

Senior Paige Crawford had an efficient hitting day, totaling 12 kills on a .357 clip. Defensively, she added five digs. Junior Patrycja Lagida and graduate student Ryleigh Whitekettle contributed eight and seven kills, respectively.

Redshirt junior Sanaa Williams had her best performance in serving, notching a career-high three service aces.

Setters Rian Baker and Becca Bellows racked up 14 assists apiece. Freshman Kelis Hawkins posted four blocks.

The match was Wake Forest's second versus a nationally-ranked opponent this fall.

How it Happened

A powerful hit by Paige Crawford gave the Deacs their first point in set one.
Ryleigh Whitekettle nailed two balls to even the score at 4-4 early.
Miami then went on a 6-0 run before the first timeout of the afternoon was taken.
- A service error soon cut the Hurricanes' own push.
Anya Santrac checked in for Wake and Whitekettle added a third kill.
Patrycja Lagida and Sadie Poeck helped fuel the Deacs' offense with attacks from the right side.
A 12-3 Miami run closed set one, with the visitors winning 25-11.
- Emma Farrell recorded five digs in the opening frame.
Becca Bellows opened set two with a service ace.
- The first combined eight possessions were traded as the score became even at 4-4.
Much of the same continued through rallies, highlighted by a big Lagida/Kelis Hawkins block.
After she posted two consecutive kills, back-to-back aces by Sanaa Williams happened in the midst of a quick 3-0 Wake run, tying the board at 13-13.
After some more back and forth, a Hawkins solo block again evened the margin (17-17).
The Deacs jumped in front (19-17) with three unanswered points, using its net protection and forcing a Hurricanes timeout.
Crawford was nifty in her angles to throw down a pair of kills.
A Wake attacking error created a one-point game, with the Deacs leading 22-21.
- Miami ultimately stepped in front with two aces in a row, 23-22.
A block put the visitors at set point before Whitekettle next answered with a right-side swing.
Miami won set two on one more kill, 25-23.
- Farrell was exceptional through two sets, resting at 13 digs.
- Crawford had eight kills on .438 hitting.
Multiple kills by Lagida started off set three.
Williams soon notched her third ace and the Deacs led by three minutes into the third.
Miami worked to tie things up before committing a service error and then being blocked by Hawkins.
Crawford took over for a pair of slams and the margin was again tied midway through set three (12-12).
Williams continued her stellar play to help keep her Deacs close, trailing 17-15.
The Hurricanes scored three more times to up their lead to 20-15 before Wake responded with its own 3-0 boost.
- Poeck then pounded a ball, set up by Rian Baker, to create a one-point game, 20-19.
Crawford went off again in her hits, as the third set's final possessions turned into a thriller.
- Miami led 22-21 at the time.
Reaching set point on an ace, Miami finished off the third with a block, winning 25-22 and clinching the match victory in three sets.
Wake Forest fell, 3-0.

Additional Notes

Sunday featured the 34th all-time meeting between Wake Forest and Miami.
Emma Farrell has collected 20 or more digs four times this year:
- Versus No. 22 Miami (10/5/25): 20 digs
- At Duke (9/28/25): 22 digs
- At Old Dominion (9/20/25): 24 digs
- Versus North Carolina A&T (9/18/25): 20 digs
- At East Carolina (9/16/25): 23 digs
  - The senior has also recorded 15-plus digs in seven of her last eight matches.
Paige Crawford has led the team in kills seven times this year.

From Coach Hulsmeyer
"Similar to Friday night, we showed good stretches and have to keep working to take care of business all the way through to the end of sets," said head coach Jeff Hulsmeyer. "I'm again proud of our group and want them to continue to believe they are capable of a lot. It's just a matter of playing our game and staying together in those moments where a set is anyone's for the taking. Playing again on Wednesday will be big for us – we need to rest and get ready here again very soon."

Up Next
This upcoming week will see the Deacs play NC State twice, beginning with a home tilt inside Varsity Arena on Wednesday (Oct. 8). The matchup is set for a 7 p.m. start time and will air on the ACC Network.

Follow the Deacs
Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | GoDeacs.com

Next Event

Team Stats

Paige Crawford

Patrycja Lagida

Ryleigh Whitekettle

Sanaa Williams

Players Mentioned

Rian Baker

Becca Bellows

Paige Crawford

Emma Farrell

Kelis Hawkins

Patrycja Lagida

Sadie Poeck

Anya Santrac

Ryleigh Whitekettle

Sanaa Williams

Wake Forest Athletics