Wednesday, October 8
Winston-Salem, N.C.
7 P.M.
Wake Forest University
8-8,2-3ACC
3
vs
0
NC State
8-7,1-4ACC
1
2
3
F
NC State
30
23
18
0
Wake Forest
32
25
25
3
Photo by: Bryce Mitchell / Wake Forest Athletics
Deacs Show Standout Offense, Earn Midweek Victory Over Wolfpack
10/8/2025 9:52:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Wake Forest picked up its second Big Four victory of the season on Wednesday night.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Back on its home floor for a third straight outing, Wake Forest volleyball (8-8, 2-3 ACC) put on a stellar offensive display during Wednesday night, en route to a 3-0 sweep over NC State (8-7, 1-4 ACC).
The Demon Deacons' hitters were standouts, as the contest featured a seventh time this fall in which three players reached double figures in kills – junior Patrycja Lagida (13), senior Paige Crawford (12) and graduate student Ryleigh Whitekettle (12). Lagida also notched a new career high in service aces, tallying three to lead all individuals.
Sophomore Becca Bellows posted her fifth double-double of the year, finishing with 25 assists and 12 digs. Fellow setter Rian Baker had a well-rounded showing with 14 assists, eight digs and two aces.
Redshirt junior Sanaa Williams and freshman Sadie Poeck impressed defensively with five blocks apiece. Williams also nailed a career-high eight kills on 10 attacks with only one error (.700).
As a unit, Wake Forest hit .252 from the floor.
With the win, the Deacs defeated NC State for the first time since Oct. 9, 2022.
How it Happened
"I was very happy with how we performed in crunch time," said head coach Jeff Hulsmeyer. "We went long in that first set and had a tight two-point second set that was critical. The fans were wonderful in supporting the team – they really helped us get over the hump in those first two sets. It was probably one of our best offensive performances of the year during set three, and just a great job by everyone. It was a good night and we have to get back to the drawing board preparing for Saturday."
Up Next
This Saturday (Oct. 11), the Demon Deacons and Wolfpack will face off in Raleigh at 2 p.m., with the contest streaming on ACC Network Extra.
Follow the Deacs
Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | GoDeacs.com
The Demon Deacons' hitters were standouts, as the contest featured a seventh time this fall in which three players reached double figures in kills – junior Patrycja Lagida (13), senior Paige Crawford (12) and graduate student Ryleigh Whitekettle (12). Lagida also notched a new career high in service aces, tallying three to lead all individuals.
Sophomore Becca Bellows posted her fifth double-double of the year, finishing with 25 assists and 12 digs. Fellow setter Rian Baker had a well-rounded showing with 14 assists, eight digs and two aces.
Redshirt junior Sanaa Williams and freshman Sadie Poeck impressed defensively with five blocks apiece. Williams also nailed a career-high eight kills on 10 attacks with only one error (.700).
As a unit, Wake Forest hit .252 from the floor.
With the win, the Deacs defeated NC State for the first time since Oct. 9, 2022.
How it Happened
- Wake Forest got to a good start early, leading 7-2.
- By the middle of set one, NC State narrowly led 13-10.
- Wake soon took the following two possessions for a 16-14 advantage.
- NC State tied the game at 17, leading to a timeout.
- Both teams traded the last six possessions, resulting in another tie (20-20).
- Wake gained the lead, 23-21, on two straight points leading to a floor break.
- The visitors gained two sets back, evening things at 23 all.
- Wake regained the lead before NCSU took another two possessions consecutively.
- The two sides continued to go back and forth, deadlocked at 27
- The Deacs hung on to win set one, 32-30, securing the final two possessions.
- It resulted as the longest set, extra-points wise, for Wake Forest this year.
- Wake Forest jumped on a fast 4-1 start in set two.
- Back-to-back kills by the Wolfpack gave them a slight 5-4 advantage.
- Wake followed up with three kills of their own, stepping ahead 8-4.
- Back to back points from NCSU narrowed Wake's lead to 12-9
- The teams traded points to keep's Wake lead active at 18-16
- NC State scored the ensuing point, trimming Wake's lead to 18-17 and causing a timeout
- Wake continued its offensive firepower, netting a kill at the 22-20 mark soon led to another break.
- The Deacs and Wolfpack traded four more points, leading to 23-22 Wake gain
- Patrycja Lagida answered for Wake on one more punch, giving the team the set victory at 25-23.
- Paige Crawford and Lagida had six and five kills, respectively, in the frame.
- Ryleigh Whitekettle hammered a ball to open set three.
- Wake went on to take the next four possessions.
- NC State narrowed the Deacs' lead to 6-3 off a block and kill.
- The Wolfpack climbed back taking two points in a row and shrinking the Wake lead to 8-6.
- A Demon Deacons block, followed by a kill, gave them an 11-8 advantage
- Two more possessions went the way of Wake Forest, again featuring a block and kill.
- The Deacs extended things to 13-8.
- Wake took four of the next six possessions, jumping ahead 17-10.
- The Deacs were able to stay in control down the stretch, winning set three on a 25-18 mark.
- Wake Forest swept NC State, 3-0.
- Three Deacs had eight or more digs:
- Becca Bellows – 12
- Emma Farrell – 9
- Rian Baker – 8
- Becca Bellows notched a double-double during the contest and now has a team-leading five this fall:
- Versus NC State (10/8/25): 25 assists and 12 digs
- At Old Dominion (9/20/25): 24 assists and 13 digs
- At East Carolina (9/16/25): 26 assists and 18 digs
- At Alabama (9/10/25): 23 assists and 14 digs
- At Navy (9/7/25): 17 assists and 10 digs
- A trio of Wake Forest individuals plugged in double-digit kills for the seventh time in fall 2025:
- Patrycja Lagida – 13
- Paige Crawford – 12
- Ryleigh Whitekettle – 12
- The Demon Deacons matched up with the Wolfpack in a 68th all-time meeting throughout series history.
- Wake Forest notched its second Big Four victory of fall 2025 on Wednesday.
- The Deacs swept NC State for the first time since Nov. 4, 2010.
"I was very happy with how we performed in crunch time," said head coach Jeff Hulsmeyer. "We went long in that first set and had a tight two-point second set that was critical. The fans were wonderful in supporting the team – they really helped us get over the hump in those first two sets. It was probably one of our best offensive performances of the year during set three, and just a great job by everyone. It was a good night and we have to get back to the drawing board preparing for Saturday."
Up Next
This Saturday (Oct. 11), the Demon Deacons and Wolfpack will face off in Raleigh at 2 p.m., with the contest streaming on ACC Network Extra.
Follow the Deacs
Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | GoDeacs.com
Team Stats
NCSU
WF
Kills
44
50
Errors
17
21
Attempts
121
115
Hitting %
.223
.252
Points
54.0
64.0
Assists
40
49
Aces
1
5
Blocks
9
9
Game Leaders
Kills
13
Aces
3
Blocks
3
Kills
12
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
12
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
5
Players Mentioned
S
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
DS
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
RS
/ Women's VolleyballRS/OH
/ Women's VolleyballMB
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