Saturday, August 30
Cincinnati, Ohio
3 P.M.
Wake Forest University
0-2,0-0ACC
1
vs
3
Michigan
1-0,0-0Big Ten
1
2
3
4
F
Wake Forest
25
27
22
20
1
Michigan
19
29
25
25
3
Demon Deacons Drop Saturday Contest to Michigan, Wrap Opening Weekend
8/30/2025 6:14:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
CINCINNATI, Ohio – Wake Forest volleyball (0-2, 0-0 ACC) made its second and final appearance of Cincinnati's Tribute to #10 Invitational on Saturday afternoon, facing the Michigan Wolverines (1-0, 0-0 BIG TEN). The Demon Deacons gave admirable effort in a quick turnaround from their Friday opener but fell short in a 3-1 decision.
For the second time in as many matches, three Deacs finished with double-digit kills. Junior hitter Patrycja Lagida shined in her first start in a Wake Forest uniform, finishing with a team-high 18 kills on an exceptional .500 attacking percentage. She also added eight digs in a strong two-way effort. Senior Paige Crawford and graduate student Ryleigh Whitekettle chipped in 14 and 10 kills, respectively.
Similar to her Friday performance versus Cincinnati, sophomore setter Becca Bellows was again close to notching a double-double, tallying 29 assists and nine digs. Rian Baker produced 17 assists and seven digs.
Senior libero Emma Farrell paced the Demon Deacons defense with a team-high 14 digs. Freshman middle blocker Kelis Hawkins was a force in net protection, totaling a match-high eight blocks. Whitekettle also impressed with five blocks.
How it Happened
Standout Stats
Additional Notes
From Coach Hulsmeyer
"I thought we again did some good things today – passing well and having some nice attacks," said head coach Jeff Hulsmeyer. "We had strong performances by Patrycja and Paige, providing good offense. We fought hard – we just have to be able to play clean at the end of sets. Going out there to take it is part of the learning process. Right now, we definitely have shown that we want it, but just need to tighten some things up and let the game come to you. It's a work in progress and we will get there. There is a lot to be excited about with this group."
Up Next
Wake Forest will again be out of state for week two of the fall season, heading North to Annapolis, Md., for the 2025 Kristen Dickmann Invitational, hosted by the Naval Academy (Sept. 5-7). The Deacs are one of four programs participating in the weekend event – joining Navy, George Mason and Air Force.
Follow the Deacs
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For the second time in as many matches, three Deacs finished with double-digit kills. Junior hitter Patrycja Lagida shined in her first start in a Wake Forest uniform, finishing with a team-high 18 kills on an exceptional .500 attacking percentage. She also added eight digs in a strong two-way effort. Senior Paige Crawford and graduate student Ryleigh Whitekettle chipped in 14 and 10 kills, respectively.
Similar to her Friday performance versus Cincinnati, sophomore setter Becca Bellows was again close to notching a double-double, tallying 29 assists and nine digs. Rian Baker produced 17 assists and seven digs.
Senior libero Emma Farrell paced the Demon Deacons defense with a team-high 14 digs. Freshman middle blocker Kelis Hawkins was a force in net protection, totaling a match-high eight blocks. Whitekettle also impressed with five blocks.
How it Happened
- Early on, play went back and forth as set one unfolded.
- Kelis Hawkins and Paige Crawford knocked in a kill apiece to put the Deacs ahead, 10-7.
- After Crawford and Patrycja Lagida punched home two more, Michigan called for a timeout.
- Wake Forest led 12-9 at the time.
- Stepping back onto the floor, Hawkins and Ryleigh Whitekettle teamed up on a block right away.
- Taking advantage of a few Wolverine errors, the Deacs reached their biggest lead of the frame, 18-11.
- Michigan would score on four of the next five possessions before a Lagida kill put an end to the boost.
- An unsuccessful challenge by the Wolverines resulted in a 22-16 advantage for Wake.
- A hit down the middle by Hawkins put the Deacs at set point.
- Crawford finished the deed from the left side, as Wake took set one on a 25-19 clip.
- Lagida went 5-of-9 on her attacks (.556), adding four digs, during the first.
- Crawford finished the deed from the left side, as Wake took set one on a 25-19 clip.
- Michigan led early in the second set, 4-1.
- Lagida and Crawford soon took over, as the two hitters clocked in kills to keep things close before taking a slight 11-10 lead.
- Michigan subsequently took a timeout.
- Whitekettle made a couple of nice plays during a burst of quick rallies, as the set remained evenly played.
- The Wolverines rattled off a 4-1 run and the margin became tied at 16 all.
- Behind Whitekettle and Hawkins' aggressive play, the Deacs leaped ahead once again.
- An Emma Farrell service put the score at 23-19 in Wake's favor.
- Michigan suffered a service error to give the Deacs set point, but were able to score three in a row to again even the board (24-24).
- Extra points took place for several minutes before the Wolverines were able to win the second, 29-27.
- Becca Bellows posted 17 assists and seven digs through the first two sets.
- Olivia Fish checked in for the first time, minutes into set three.
- A nice spike by Sanaa Williams knotted the score at 6-6, followed by a Crawford slam.
- A series of points were traded and Hawkins erupted to make back-to-back blocks and a kill.
- A timeout was taken by Michigan and Wake found itself up 14-10.
- The Wolverines cut things down with a 4-1 run but Whitekettle and Williams helped keep the Deacs in front.
- Gritty defense by both sides soon had the scoreboard sitting at 19 even.
- Michigan used multiple kills to reach set point, followed by a final one near the middle.
- The Wolverines took set three, 25-22.
- Wake's hitters made plays to start the fourth, helping create a tied score of 8-8.
- Lagida then couldn't be stopped on the left side, chipping in kills on high efficiency hitting.
- A 3-0 Michigan surge led into a media timeout, with the team holding on to a 15-14 lead.
- Wake responded with four points in five possessions, capped by an Olivia Murphy punch.
- Six consecutive points by Michigan gave it the lead back, 23-19.
- The Wolverines were able to win the set on a final service ace, 25-20.
- Wake Forest fell, 3-1.
Standout Stats
- In a likewise fashion to the team's Friday contest versus Cincinnati (Aug. 29), a trio of Wake Forest hitters ended with 10-plus kills:
- Patrycja Lagida – 18
- Paige Crawford – 14
- Ryleigh Whitekettle – 10
- The Deacs' defense was solid as a unit – five players recorded seven or more digs:
- Emma Farrell – 14
- Becca Bellows – 9
- Patrycja Lagida – 8
- Rian Baker – 7
- Paige Crawford – 7
- Wake Forest tied with Michigan in blocks (9).
Additional Notes
- Saturday featured the first meeting between Wake Forest and Michigan since Sept. 7, 2012.
- Finishing with 14 digs against the Wolverines, Emma Farrell now stands at 1,447 for her career and is only 53 away from reaching a milestone mark of 1,500.
- Through the two-day Tribute to #10 Invitational, several individuals stood out in their overall totals for the tournament:
- Becca Bellows – 54 assists & 18 digs
- Paige Crawford – 22 kills & 24 digs
- Emma Farrell – 28 digs
- Patrycja Lagida – 29 kills & 12 digs
- Ryleigh Whitekettle – 22 kills & six blocks
- Junior transfer Patrycja Lagida and graduate transfer Ryleigh Whitekettle made their first starts as Deacs on Saturday.
- Becca Bellows also started for the first time this fall.
From Coach Hulsmeyer
"I thought we again did some good things today – passing well and having some nice attacks," said head coach Jeff Hulsmeyer. "We had strong performances by Patrycja and Paige, providing good offense. We fought hard – we just have to be able to play clean at the end of sets. Going out there to take it is part of the learning process. Right now, we definitely have shown that we want it, but just need to tighten some things up and let the game come to you. It's a work in progress and we will get there. There is a lot to be excited about with this group."
Up Next
Wake Forest will again be out of state for week two of the fall season, heading North to Annapolis, Md., for the 2025 Kristen Dickmann Invitational, hosted by the Naval Academy (Sept. 5-7). The Deacs are one of four programs participating in the weekend event – joining Navy, George Mason and Air Force.
Follow the Deacs
Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | GoDeacs.com
Team Stats
WF
Mich
Kills
57
60
Errors
24
21
Attempts
161
145
Hitting %
.205
.269
Points
71.0
76.0
Assists
55
58
Aces
5
7
Blocks
9
9
Game Leaders
Kills
18
Aces
1
Blocks
2
Kills
14
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
10
Aces
0
Blocks
5
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Volleyball
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/ Women's Volleyball
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/ Women's Volleyball
OH/RS
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
OH/RS
/ Women's VolleyballRS/OH
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
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