Sunday, September 14
Winston-Salem, N.C.
1 P.M.
Wake Forest University
4-4,0-0ACC
3
vs
1
Maryland
5-3,0-0Big Ten
1
2
3
4
F
Maryland
25
23
22
22
1
Wake Forest
21
25
25
25
3
Photo by: Seth Seebaugh
Demon Deacons Knock Off Maryland, Complete Home Weekend Sweep
9/14/2025 4:16:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Sadie Poeck impressed with a season-best performance on Sunday.
WISTON-SALEM, N.C. – Looking to finish off its first home weekend strongly, Wake Forest volleyball did just that on Sunday afternoon, as the Demon Deacons (4-4, 0-0 ACC) defeated the Maryland Terrapins (5-3, 0-0 BIG 10) in a 3-1 victory.
The Deacs secured their first weekend sweep of the fall, happening during the team's first two appearances inside Varsity Arena for the regular season.
Senior Paige Crawford paced Wake Forest in kills for the fourth time in as many matches, finishing with 16 for the day. She also collected eight digs on the defensive side.
Freshman Sadie Poeck enjoyed a breakout day, notching a new season-high 10 kills on an eye-popping .692 hitting clip – the best mark recorded by a Deac this year on 10-plus attempts. The Zionsville, Ind., native went 10-of-13 on attacks with only one error. Fellow freshman Kelis Hawkins produced eight kills on a .500 mark.
Graduate student Ryleigh Whitekettle was effective with 11 kills, including a .333 attacking percentage, and two blocks.
Senior Emma Farrell again led all individuals in digs (15) while redshirt junior Sanaa Williams posted four blocks for the second time in a row. Sophomore Dhru Lalaji contributed eight digs.
Sophomore Becca Bellows and senior Rian Baker finished with 30 and 22 assists, respectively. Baker also had six digs and three service aces.
Crawford was named MVP of Wake Forest Invitational, while Whitekettle and Williams also landed spots on the All-Tournament Team.
Sunday featured Wake's first first win over Maryland since Oct. 6, 2012.
How it Happened
From Coach Hulsmeyer
"We were excited to be able to keep the winning going here at home," said head coach Jeff Hulsmeyer. "I thought our team fought hard today and I was so pleased with the way players came off of the bench to play strongly in their roles. Olivia Fish and Sadie Poeck did a great job coming in and providing some offense. Our block helped change the flow of the match, once we started getting low and over and allowing our defense to run behind. We made good adjustments, and I have to give a nod to our staff – they watch a lot of film and help us all see the adjustments in real time. Top to bottom, this was a great win for the program, players and staff."
Celebrating 50 Years of the 1975 Team
The Wake Forest volleyball program proudly celebrated its 1975 team in a 50th year anniversary reunion over the weekend. Having pieced together one of the most successful seasons in program history, the 1975 roster posted an overall record of 31-9 and still holds program records for both season wins and win percentage (.775). Led by head coach Sharron Perkins, the team was named champions of the state tournament and regional tournament en route to earning a bid to the first Small College National Volleyball Tournament.
Program alums on the 1975 squad include:
Up Next
The Deacs next step into their final week of non-conference action, beginning with a Tuesday road test at East Carolina (Sept. 16). The match has a set start time of 6 p.m. and can be viewed on ESPN+.
Follow the Deacs
Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | GoDeacs.com
The Deacs secured their first weekend sweep of the fall, happening during the team's first two appearances inside Varsity Arena for the regular season.
Senior Paige Crawford paced Wake Forest in kills for the fourth time in as many matches, finishing with 16 for the day. She also collected eight digs on the defensive side.
Freshman Sadie Poeck enjoyed a breakout day, notching a new season-high 10 kills on an eye-popping .692 hitting clip – the best mark recorded by a Deac this year on 10-plus attempts. The Zionsville, Ind., native went 10-of-13 on attacks with only one error. Fellow freshman Kelis Hawkins produced eight kills on a .500 mark.
Graduate student Ryleigh Whitekettle was effective with 11 kills, including a .333 attacking percentage, and two blocks.
Senior Emma Farrell again led all individuals in digs (15) while redshirt junior Sanaa Williams posted four blocks for the second time in a row. Sophomore Dhru Lalaji contributed eight digs.
Sophomore Becca Bellows and senior Rian Baker finished with 30 and 22 assists, respectively. Baker also had six digs and three service aces.
Crawford was named MVP of Wake Forest Invitational, while Whitekettle and Williams also landed spots on the All-Tournament Team.
Sunday featured Wake's first first win over Maryland since Oct. 6, 2012.
How it Happened
- Maryland scored on the first three possessions.
- Paige Crawford was first to get Wake on the board with a fill, followed by a Terrapin attacking error.
- The senior soon laced two service aces to put her Deacs in front, 6-5.
- After a few traded rallies, Rian Baker set up Kelis Hawkins in the middle for a throw down.
- Patrycja Lagida rose from the left side next, as Wake kept its lead (10-7).
- Crawford was successful on three of her first four attacks.
- Wake made some net protection right before the media timeout to lead 15-12.
- Maryland suffered a couple of errors but was able to create a tied score (17-17) before Lagida took off again from the left side.
- Crawford and Hawkins stayed strong in their play as the first continued.
- Maryland stepped in front late, 21-20, forcing a Deacon timeout.
- Crawford evened the margin again once action resumed.
- The next two points went the Terrapins' way before a block put them at set point.
- One final block gave Maryland the win in set one, 25-21.
- Crawford had five kills at the time.
- Set two started off even (3-3) before the Terrapins scored twice in a row.
- Sanaa Williams responded with a pair of kills in back-to-back fashion.
- Crawford and Ryleigh Whitekettele chipped in a hit apiece before Maryland was successful on a challenge, resulting in a 12-7 lead for the visitors.
- A 5-1 push emerged by the Deacs, highlighted by a Baker ace, to cut the deficit to 13-12.
- Crawford clocked another kill right before the media break, helping keep Wake close by (15-13).
- Sadie Poeck checked into the contest after the timeout and immediately produced a kill.
- The Deacs regrouped at their bench after Maryland netted three straight points.
- Wake responded with poised play next, jumping on a 5-1 surge to take the lead (23-22).
- Williams shined during the run with two kills and a solo block.
- A Maryland attacking error allowed Wake to reach set point.
- Poeck put the finishing touches on set two with a monster hit, set up by Baker.
- Wake Forest took the second in a thrilling finish, 25-23.
- Baker and Crawford made a handful of plays to start set three, which rested at a 7-5 early lead for the Deacs.
- The Terrapins then posted three consecutive points and Olivia Fish entered the match for Wake.
- Hawkins caught fire for two kills and a block before Becca Bellows served an ace for a 13-10 Deacon advantage.
- Fish and Crawford then posted two more kills while Whitekettle/Hawkins connected on a block to stretch the lead by six.
- After Maryland tied the board at 17 all, Baker and Crawford took turns on giving their squad points in a 3-0 boost.
- Poeck picked up her fourth and fifth kill of the day to place Wake at set point.
- Fish hammered a ball to secure set three for the Deacs, 25-22.
- Crawford and Emma Farrell had 14 kills and 13 digs, respectively, through three frames.
- Kills by Whitekettle started off the fourth for Wake before Poeck punched two of her own to create a narrow 7-6 gain.
- Possessions were then traded, leading to a 10-10 tie.
- The same story continued through eight more combined rallies (14-14).
- Poeck continued her stellar afternoon with an impressive angle on a kill and Fish re-entered the match for a ferocious swing.
- The two Deacs poured into the scoring column late in the fourth, giving Wake a 21-17 lead.
- Maryland plugged in two points coming out of a timeout, resulting in another break called.
- Bellows then found Whitekettle on the right side twice for two timely kills.
- Williams leaped from the middle to punch home a kill for match point.
- The Terrapins committed one more final error, giving Wake the set win (25-22) and match victory.
- Wake Forest defeated Maryland, 3-1.
- Wake Forest finished with an advantage over Maryland in four statistical categories:
- Points – 74.0 to 72.0
- Kills – 62 to 55
- Assists – 59 to 49
- Digs – 52 to 45
- Three Deacs had eight or digs:
- Emma Farrell – 15
- Dhru Lalaji – 8
- Paige Crawford – 8
- Wake Forest's 62 kills ended as a season-best mark:
- A trio of players registered double-digit kills:
- Paige Crawford – 16
- Ryleigh Whitekettle – 11
- Sadie Poeck – 10
- A trio of players registered double-digit kills:
- The Deacs and Terrapins met on Sunday for the first time since Aug. 24, 2018.
- With Sunday's win and a 3-0 sweep over Davidson on Friday, Wake Forest completed its first weekend sweep since Sept. 20-22, 2024.
- Sanaa Williams has now totaled 17 blocks in her last three matches.
- Paige Crawford and Rian Baker both reached over 100 career service aces during the contest.
- Crawford stacked 48 kills through three matches for week three.
- Currently in her first season as a Deac, Ryleigh Whitekettle has registered double-digit kills in five of her first eight appearances.
From Coach Hulsmeyer
"We were excited to be able to keep the winning going here at home," said head coach Jeff Hulsmeyer. "I thought our team fought hard today and I was so pleased with the way players came off of the bench to play strongly in their roles. Olivia Fish and Sadie Poeck did a great job coming in and providing some offense. Our block helped change the flow of the match, once we started getting low and over and allowing our defense to run behind. We made good adjustments, and I have to give a nod to our staff – they watch a lot of film and help us all see the adjustments in real time. Top to bottom, this was a great win for the program, players and staff."
Celebrating 50 Years of the 1975 Team
The Wake Forest volleyball program proudly celebrated its 1975 team in a 50th year anniversary reunion over the weekend. Having pieced together one of the most successful seasons in program history, the 1975 roster posted an overall record of 31-9 and still holds program records for both season wins and win percentage (.775). Led by head coach Sharron Perkins, the team was named champions of the state tournament and regional tournament en route to earning a bid to the first Small College National Volleyball Tournament.
Program alums on the 1975 squad include:
- Roper Osborne Halverson
- Jane Satchell McAllister
- Gwen Williams Fletcher
- Pat Graham Hartje
- Janet Hopper Johnson
- Janet Lucas
- Laurie Parker Long
- Kelly Jordan
- Janet Gebbie Edgerton
- Ellen Alford Nelson
- Robin McFarlin Godwin
- Stephanie Glenn
- Linda Kelly – Team Manager
Up Next
The Deacs next step into their final week of non-conference action, beginning with a Tuesday road test at East Carolina (Sept. 16). The match has a set start time of 6 p.m. and can be viewed on ESPN+.
Follow the Deacs
Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | GoDeacs.com
Team Stats
MD
WF
Kills
55
62
Errors
18
19
Attempts
140
133
Hitting %
.264
.323
Points
72.0
74.0
Assists
49
59
Aces
6
6
Blocks
11
6
Game Leaders
Kills
16
Aces
2
Blocks
1
Kills
11
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
10
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Players Mentioned
S
/ Women's Volleyball
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/ Women's Volleyball
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/ Women's Volleyball
DS
/ Women's Volleyball
OH/RS
/ Women's VolleyballMB
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
DS
/ Women's VolleyballRS
/ Women's VolleyballRS/OH
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's VolleyballMen's Basketball All-Access at ETSU
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