set 3
NC State 25
Georgia Tech 23
Georgia Tech leads match 2-1

set 4
Georgia Tech 25
NC State 22

Georgia Tech wins match 3-1

The NC State volleyball team lost to the No. 10 Georgia Tech Yellowjackets in a tough four-set match on Sunday, Oct. 30.
The Wolfpack (12-11, 6-6 ACC) came into this match off a sweep of Clemson on Friday night but was not able to respond to the tough offense of the Yellow Jackets (17-4, 10-2 ACC).
The first set saw NC State hold a steady lead in the beginning only for Georgia Tech to come from behind and win it 25-22, and the Yellow Jackets dominated the second set as well. The Pack took over the third set, winning with a score of 25-23, but fell in the fourth and final set to complete the game.

The match started off on a kill from sophomore outside hitter Martyna Leoniak, which helped the Wolfpack take an early lead at 6-2. The front row was playing smart, moving the ball around and keeping the Georgia Tech defense on its toes. With help from back-to-back kills by freshman middle blocker Lily Cropper, the NC State lead was 12-7. Even with the "no quit" attitude the Pack had, the Yellowjackets were able to take the momentum away.
"I think we played really well compared to our matches last week," Leoniak said. "I think we started really strong; we were fighting. The second set was a little bit off, but overall, we did well."

The second set saw all the momentum with the Yellow Jackets as they dominated at the net and in serve receive. A bright spot for the Wolfpack was the return of junior middle blocker Riley Shaak, who hasn't played in a match since Oct. 9. Georgia Tech took this set 25-16, but NC State came back for revenge in the third set. An ace from senior setter Kristen McDaniel and Leoniak, along with a huge blocker presence from Leoniak at the net, gave the Pack some energy to battle back and win the set 25-23.
"I thought it was great to have [Shaak] back," said assistant coach Jeremiah Gonidakis. "[She's] somebody we know we can set the ball whenever we need, and she did a nice job of coming in composed and bringing a little fire to the team."
The fourth and final set was a nail-biter until the end. Leoniak was the star of the show as she beat her season-high record for kills when she sent her 19th kill of the game across the net. Another ace by McDaniel and one from senior defensive specialist Hannah Wander kept the game steady until a tie at 19-19. From here, the Yellow Jackets were able to finish off the set 25-22 and clinch the match.
"I think the girls did a good job fighting and battling," Gonidakis said. "After the second set, it would have been easy to slow down and give in, but we did a nice job of fighting back and putting everything into it. I thought it was a good job."
NC State hits the road this week as it visits No. 4 Louisville on Friday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m.

https://www.technicianonline.com/sports/wolfpack-volleyball-falls-to-no-10-georgia-tech-despite-leoniak-s-19-kills/article_419cbc18-5892-11ed-b5c8-c77c0979dcdd.html

The NC State volleyball team will hit the road to take on No. 5 Louisville on Friday Nov. 4 and Notre Dame on Sunday Nov. 6 for week seven of ACC play.

No. 5 Louisville Match Up -- Watch | Game Notes
The Cardinals hold a 7-1 advantage over the Pack
Senior setter Kristen McDaniel tallied 25 assists in the last meeting (11/5/2021)

In the Slabe Era, the Pack is 0-2 against the Cardinals
Louisville was ranked No. 14 and No. 2 in the last two meetings (2020/2021 seasons)

Notre Dame Match Up -- Live Stats | Watch | Game Notes
The Pack hold a 7-5 edge in the all-time series with the Fighting Irish
Under Slabe, the Pack is 1-2 against Notre Dame
In the lone meeting of the 2021 season, McDaniel tallied 21 assists and three blocks for the Pack

https://gopack.com/news/2022/11/2/womens-volleyball-volleyball-to-face-no-5-louisville-and-notre-dame.aspx

The NC State volleyball team fell to No. 5 Louisville Friday evening in Kentucky.

The Wolfpack was led by Amanda Rice who tallied six kills.

Riley Shaak led the team with three blocks, marking her 16th match this season with three or more.

Graduate libero Priscilla Hernandez recorded 10 digs on the evening.

Naomi Cabello led the Pack setters with 11 assists.

Set One (11-25)
The Pack took the first two points of the evening, but the Cardinals quickly responded by taking an 8-3 lead. The Wolfpack was able to capitalize on the Cardinals seven errors in attempts to minimize the lead. NC State struggled to gain momentum as Louisville continued to dominate the set.

Set Two (21-25)
The Pack started off strong with a 8-3 run, forcing the Cardinals to take a timeout. The Pack continued to dominate, leading by five at one point. After Louisville took three straight points to minimize the Pack's lead to one, head coach Luka Slabe took his first timeout of the set. The Pack continued to hold at least a two point lead until the Cardinals tied the match 16 all and took the 17th point to take its first lead of the set. The Pack continued to battle and kept the set close with Louisville never leading by more than four. NC State battled back to take two straight points before the Cardinals ended the set.

Set Three (16-25)
NC State struggled to maintain the momentum from set two. Slabe took his first timeout of the set after the Cardinals took a 6-2 lead. Louisville continues to lead and the Wolfpack made several attempts to minimize it, but were unsuccessful.

Next Up
The Pack remains on the road as it heads to South Bend, IN to take on Notre Dame in a mid-day match on Sunday Nov. 6. First serve is slated for 12pm on ACCNX.

https://gopack.com/news/2022/11/4/womens-volleyball-volleyball-falls-to-no-5-louisville.aspx

NC State volleyball fell to the No. 5 Louisville Cardinals in a tough match on Friday, Nov. 4.

The Wolfpack (12-12, 6-7 ACC) had a tough time getting around the Cardinals' (21-2, 12-1 ACC) block throughout the match. Louisville showed off its power from the start, taking the first set 25-11, but the Pack kept the game somewhat even in the second set as it fell just short, 25-21. The third set was similar to the first with Louisville taking a quick lead and finishing the match 3-0 with a score of 25-16.

Set one started with a kill from sophomore outside hitter Martyna Leoniak, but soon it was all Louisville as the home side took a quick 8-3 lead over the Wolfpack. An ace by senior setter Kristen McDaniel lifted NC State to a double-digit score halfway through the set, but the team could not respond after that. Louisville controlled all the momentum and took a 1-0 lead.

The showdown featured the top two blocking teams in the ACC, but the Cardinals showed their higher ranking as they tallied four block assists in the second set. The second set started off optimistically for the Wolfpack as an ace from junior setter Naomi Cabello during a 5-0 scoring run gave State a 7-3 lead. Unfortunately, Louisville responded and took the lead on a 6-1 run of its own, eventually winning the set 25-21.

The third set was a slow one for the Wolfpack as it could never get a solid run on the Cardinals. Louisville took a quick lead and even went on a 4-0 scoring run to make it 11-3 in their favor. The red-and-white responded with four block assists but still fell behind and eventually lost the set and the match.

The Wolfpack hopes to move past this loss as it travels to South Bend, Indiana to play Notre Dame on Sunday, Nov. 6 at 12 p.m.

https://www.technicianonline.com/sports/nc-state-volleyball-gets-dominated-by-no-5-louisville-swept-on-road/article_e1759d26-5ca8-11ed-b242-b77b308bb3cb.html

set 1
NC State 25
Notre Dame 22

set 2
Notre Dame 25
NC State 22

match tied 1-1

set 3
NC State 25
Notre Dame 18

NC State leads match 2-1

set 4
NC State 25
Notre Dame 23

NC State wins match 3-1

The NC State volleyball team defeated Notre Dame 3-1 Sunday afternoon in South Bend, Ind. After a back and forth battle in the third and fourth set, the Pack secured its seventh win in conference play.

Sophomore Martyna Leoniak recorded her fourth double double when she tallied 15 kills and 18 digs.

Vanja Bukilic and Amanda Rice added 14 kills each for the Pack. Madison Williams added 10 kills to help the Wolfpack in the win.

Naomi Cabello led the setters with 28 assists.

Jada Allen recorded four blocks to lead NC State.

Set One (25-20)
Leoniak started the Pack off strong with a kill on the first play of the match. The Irish came within one of the Pack twice, but were unsuccessful in their efforts. Leoniak led the Wolfpack with seven kills and was on trend to record her fourth double-double, as she also tallied 10 digs.

Set Two (22-25)
The Wolfpack started off strong and carried the momentum from set one. NC State took a 4-0 lead to start and the Irish made their comeback. Notre Dame minimized the Pack's lead to one after making it 8-7, but NC State responded by taking the next two points. The battle continued for the Fighting Irish, but the Wolfpack continued to dominate. After the media timeout in the middle of the set, the Pack came out to take two straight points. The Irish tied the set 19-19 and took the next point to take their first lead of the afternoon. Slabe called a timeout and Amanda Rice ended Notre Dame's three point streak with back to back kills. The Fighting Irish came out on top after taking three straight points to end the set,

Set Three (25-18)
Rice started the Pack off strong with a kill. Leoniak tallied her fourth career double double when she recorded her 10th kill of the afternoon on the Pack's second point. Notre Dame minimized the Pack's lead to one after three straight points, but NC State responded with a kill to increase the lead back to two. The Pack then went on a 5-2 run to lead by six at the Irish first timeout of the set. Leoniak and Allen decided to host a block party as the two of them recorded two assisted blocks to help the Pack secure the set.

Set Four (25-23)
The Pack started off on a 4-2 run, but the Irish quickly tied the match 4 all. After the Pack was called for being in the net, Notre Dame took only its second lead of the afternoon. The set became a back and forth battle with each team taking one or two points and the other team tying it up. The Pack took a two point lead to make it 15-13 and the two teams went into a media timeout. The Irish took the first point out of the timeout but NC State took the next two to have a three point lead, forcing Notre Dame to take a timeout. Notre Dame went on an 8-7 run, but the Pack held a one point lead, 23-22, after an attacking error by the Irish. The Pack came back to get two straight and win the match.

Next Up
The Pack returns to Raleigh for a week of practice before a quick road trip south to Clemson. The match is set for 1pm on Nov. 13.

https://gopack.com/news/2022/11/6/womens-volleyball-volleyball-defeats-notre-dame-after-dominant-battle.aspx

NC State volleyball defeated Notre Dame Sunday, Nov. 6 in South Bend, Indiana to boost the Pack to a winning record on the season. After splitting the first two sets, the Pack won the next two to win three sets to one.

The Wolfpack (13-12, 7-7 ACC) dropped five of its last six heading into its matchup against the Fighting Irish (9-15, 4-10 ACC), but finally collected a win against Notre Dame . With just four more matches left in the regular season, every game matters.

The Pack took the first set 25-20, but dropped the second set in a tight 25-22 loss. The Pack regained the lead when it won the third set 25-18, and won the last set 25-23. Most of the Pack's points were from kills, a sign of a good offense.

Sophomore outside hitter Martyna Leoniak led NC State with 15 kills. She also recorded an impressive total of 18 digs to match offense with defense. Leoniak had a much more productive game all around than usual, contributing well to the Pack's 62 total kills.

Graduate opposite hitter Vanja Bukilic and sophomore opposite hitter Amanda Rice both racked up 14 kills each. Bukilic and Rice are second and third on the season for kills, while Leoniak is fourth. Freshman outside hitter Ava Brizard, who leads in kills on the season, did not play against Notre Dame.

The Wolfpack had six service aces to make up for its seven service errors. Notre Dame had one ace for its eight service errors. Graduate libero Priscilla Hernandez scored two service aces, contributing to her season total that leads the Pack. Hernandez also led the Pack in digs with 23.

The Wolfpack will travel to South Carolina to take on Clemson on Sunday, Nov. 13. The Pack won its last match against the Tigers in three straight sets at home Oct. 28. The Pack will play a rematch with Notre Dame in the following match Saturday, Nov. 19 in Reynolds Coliseum.

https://www.technicianonline.com/sports/nc-state-volleyball-defeats-notre-dame-pushes-record-above-500/article_e7fa794c-5e19-11ed-aec2-97141b5f734d.html

The NC State volleyball team will head south to Clemson for the two teams final meeting of the season. First serve is set for 1pm EDT on ACCNX on Sunday Nov. 13.

In the first meeting this season, the Pack tamed the Tigers in straight sets. Freshman Ava Brizard led the Pack with 16 kills and sophomore Jada Allen tallied eight blocks, falling just short of her career high (10).

The Pack had a strong collective defense, holding the Tigers to two set scores below 15 points.


In the all-time series, Clemson holds a 23-14 advantage over the Pack, despite NC State winning nine out of the last 10 meetings. In the Slabe Era, the Pack is 5-0.

After the lone match against Clemson, the Pack will return to Raleigh for one of the last home games of the season on Nov. 19 against Notre Dame.

https://gopack.com/news/2022/11/10/womens-volleyball-volleyball-heads-to-clemson-for-final-meeting-of-the-season.aspx

set 1
Clemson 25
NC State 23

set 2
Clemson 25
NC State 17

Clemson leads match 2-0

set 3
NC State 25
Clemson 17

Clemson leads match 2-1

set 4
Clemson 25
NC State 22

Clemson wins match 3-1

The NC State volleyball team was paced by redshirt sophomore Madison Williams's career high 17 kills in the teams 3-1 loss at Clemson Sunday afternoon.

Williams led the team with 17 kills and finished with a .342 hitting percentage.

Sophomore Jada Allen led the team defensively with eight blocks, in addition to eight kills offensively.

Senior setter Kristen McDaniel recorded her fifth double-double of the season when she finished with 22 assists and 12 digs.

Set One (23-25)
It was a back and forth battle for the two teams. The Pack trailed to start, but tied it up 9-9. Clemson arrived upon match point, 24-22, but the Pack wasn't ready for the set to end a set from McDaniel and a kill by Vanja Bukilic brought the Pack within one of the Tigers. Clemson went on to win the next point and take the set. Williams led the Wolfpack with six kills.

Set Two (17-25)
The Tigers took the momentum for set one and maintained it in set two. The Pack made several attempts to minimize the lead, but were unsuccessful. Bukilic and Amanda Rice led the Pack with kills in the second set.

Set Three (25-17)
The Tigers challenged two calls early in the set, both due to believing the Pack was in the net. Clemson won both, forcing the set to become tied five all. The Pack struggled to gain momentum and overcome the Tigers' dominant attacks. After going on a 6-2 run, NC State held onto the lead for the rest of the set and took seven straight points to take set three.

Set Four (22-25)
Clemson went on a 5-1 run to open the set. The Pack struggled to maintain the momentum from the end of the third set. After a challenge by head coach Luka Slabe, the Pack came within one of the Tigers. The two teams battled back and forth, but the Tigers came out on top.

Up Next
The Wolfpack will return to Raleigh to face Notre Dame for the second time this season. First serve is set for 5pm on Saturday Nov. 19. After the match, the 2022 senior class will be recognized in Reynolds Coliseum.

https://gopack.com/news/2022/11/13/womens-volleyball-volleyball-unable-to-take-tigers.aspx

The NC State volleyball team is set to host Notre Dame on Saturday Nov. 19 at 5pm. Prior to first serve, the Pack will recognize the Fighting Irish five seniors and following the match, the Wolfpack will honor its three seniors Vanja Bukilic, Priscilla Hernandez, and Hannah Wander.

https://gopack.com/news/2022/11/16/volleyball-set-to-host-notre-dame-on-senior-day.aspx

set 1
NC State 25
Notre Dame 20

set 2
NC State 25
Notre Dame 17

NC State leads match 2-0

set 3
NC State 25
Notre Dame 23

NC State wins match 3-0

NC State volleyball went out in style on senior day, taking down the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 3-0 Saturday, Nov. 19 in Reynolds Coliseum.

The Wolfpack (14-13, 8-8 ACC) honored three seniors in a postgame ceremony: senior defensive specialist Hannah Wander, graduate libero Priscilla Hernandez and graduate opposite hitter Vanja Bukilic.

The graduating trio, including Wander, made the most of the penultimate home match. Hernandez led all players with 16 digs while Wander notched six of her own. Bukilic played a major role in the offense as per usual, racking up nine kills and three blocks.

Both teams emphasized netfront presence as each side finished with seven blocks. Notre Dame (9-17, 4-12 ACC) made use of some soft tap-overs to score early, but the Pack quickly adjusted to win the battle up front.

NC State also made headwinds on its serves. The Wolfpack limited itself to just one service error in each of the first two sets while the Fighting Irish put itself behind the eight ball early with four such errors in the first set. While the Pack got sloppy with three service errors in the much closer final set, starting each play on the right foot more often than not helped State get the job done.

Senior setter Kristen McDaniel led the charge for the Wolfpack in that regard, rattling off three aces over the course of the match to lead all players. As one of the Pack's best players set to return in 2023, McDaniel looks like a key contributor for the next batch of NC State volleyball leaders.

The Wolfpack will wrap up its home schedule Wednesday, Nov. 23 against the Virginia Cavaliers. First serve is set for 3 p.m.

https://www.technicianonline.com/sports/nc-state-volleyball-sweeps-notre-dame-on-senior-day/article_2ec43674-686f-11ed-8bd6-c763131bb10b.html

THe NC State volleyball team swept Notre Dame, 3-0, Saturday evening in Reynolds Coliseum. The Pack also celebrated its three seniors after the match.

Sophomore Martyna Leoniak recorded her sixth career double-double as she tallied 13 kills and 15 digs.

Sophomore Jada Allen led the team with five blocks, in addition to her three kills.

How it happened
The Pack started off with a bang. The Fighting Irish made several attempts to stop the Wolfpack, but were unsuccessful. Leoniak and Bukilic led the way, combining for 22 kills. Junior Riley Shaak added a season high six kills and two blocks for the Pack.

The Irish started off with the lead in the second and third sets, but were unable to maintain it.

In set three, the Irish held a three point lead over the Pack. NC State quickly minimized the lead and tied the set on several occasions. Leoniak, Bukilic, and Allen headlined the final set with blocks and kills.

The win advances the Pack to 14-13 overall and 8-8 in ACC play.

The Seniors
The Pack honored its three seniors -- Bukilic, Priscilla Hernandez, Hannah Wander -- after the match.

Prior to the match, the team recognized Notre Dame's five seniors as well.

Next Up
The Pack returns to Reynolds on Wednesday Nov. 23 to host Virginia in its final home match of the season.

https://gopack.com/news/2022/11/19/womens-volleyball-volleyball-sweeps-notre-dame-on-senior-day.aspx

The NC State volleyball team is scheduled to play its final two matches of the regular season. The Pack will host Virginia on Wednesday Nov. 23 for a 3pm meeting and will then head to New York to take on Syracuse on Saturday Nov. 26 for a 12pm meeting.

Virginia Match Up -- Live Stats | Watch | Game Notes

• The Cavaliers hold a 27-15 advantage over the Pack, but NC State has won the last nine straight -- including five wins in the Slabe Era
• The two teams went to five sets in the first meeting this season -- UVA took set one and four, while the pack took set two, three, and five
• Ava Brizard led the team with 17 kills in the meeting earlier this season

Syracuse Match Up -- Live Stats | Watch | Game Notes

• The Pack holds an 8-4 advantage over the Orange and are 2-2 in the Slabe Era
• In the meeting earlier this season, the Pack swept the Orange
• Priscilla Hernandez and Naomi Cabello each tallied two aces each
• Brizard led the team with 10 kills, while Martyna Leoniak and Jada Allen each added six
• Allen led the team with 5 blocks, while Amanda Rice and Vanja Bukilic each added four

#GoPack | @PackVball

https://gopack.com/news/2022/11/22/womens-volleyball-volleyball-to-wrap-up-season-with-final-two-matches.aspx

set 1
NC State 25
Virginia 14

set 2
NC State 25
Virginia 19

NC State leads match 2-0

set 3
Virginia 25
NC State 20

NC State leads match 2-1

set 4
NC State 25
Virginia 17

NC State wins match 3-1

The NC State volleyball team defeated Virginia 31 Wednesday afternoon in the final home match of the season.

Sophomore Amanda Rice led the team with 13 kills, while Martyna Leoniak added an additional 11.

Sophomore Jada Allen led the team with six blocks. She added five kills with zero errors on 13 attempts to finish with a .385 hitting percentage.

Set One (25-14)
The Pack opened the match with a 6-1 lead over the Cavaliers. The Wolfpack was unstoppable, at one point leading 21-10 and Vanja Bukilic led the team with kills through set one.

Set Two (25-19)
The Pack maintained momentum from set one and took the early lead in set two. The Cavaliers recorded four service aces in a row, but were unable to stop the Pack's offensive plan.

Set Three (20-25)
Despite holding a lead to start the set, the Pack was unable to stop the Cavaliers. UVA went on a 6-0 run to take a 10-8 lead. NC State tied the set up 10-all, but UVA quickly took over. With it being set point Cavaliers, the Wolfpack decided it wasn't done yet and took three straight points before UVA ended it.

Set Four (25-17)
The Wolfpack trailed to start the set but gained the lead after multiple attacking errors by UVA, NC State was able to gain the lead. Allen helped the Pack defensively when she recorded several blocks in the final set.

Next Up:
NC State will head north to New York to take on Syracuse in the regular season finale. First serve is set for 12pm on Saturday Nov. 26 on ACCNX.

https://gopack.com/news/2022/11/23/womens-volleyball-volleyball-tops-cavaliers-in-home-finale.aspx

NC State volleyball came away with a win in its final game at Reynolds Coliseum, defeating the Virginia Cavaliers in four sets on Wednesday, Nov. 23.
The Wolfpack (15-13, 9-8 ACC) closed out its 2022 home season strong against the Cavaliers (12-16, 4-13 ACC), winning its second game in a row to put its conference win percentage over .500.
"It's always good to win, especially for all of your people," said head coach Luka Slabe. "I know it's the holidays, and they still showed and we thank them with a win."

The first set was won handily by the Pack by a final score of 25-14. Sophomore opposite hitter Amanda Rice stood out as an immediate impact player and was involved at all points of the match. She recorded an early kill for the Pack and was active on defense with four total blocks.
Senior setter Kristen McDaniel also stood out, playing a key role in all four sets. She was one of several NC State players to consistently lay her body out to make saves and keep the ball alive. McDaniel recorded 15 assists, second only to junior setter Naomi Cabello for the team lead.
With tons of momentum from the first set, the Wolfpack also took the second set. Virginia put more pressure on NC State, but on what was thought to be a dead play, Rice was able to hit the ball over the net to score while the entire Virginia team was in a huddle. There's no doubt that this play was gutting for the Cavaliers, and the opposing team was never able to make a full comeback.
"We don't stop until the whistle is blown," said graduate libero Priscilla Hernandez. "We ended up getting the points and it was pretty nice."
The third set saw a defensive collapse from the Wolfpack, letting the Cavaliers back in the game. A combination of service errors and a lack of assists piled up, amounting to a 25-20 score in favor of Virginia.

"To sustain a focus and level of play for three sets in a row to sweep somebody… it's not easy," Slabe said. "A lot of third sets are won by the team that is down."
With NC State unable to sweep Virginia like it was against Notre Dame in its previous game, Hernandez fully asserted herself as the leader of the team. She was on the floor for the majority of the fourth set and recorded a team high 14 digs, but the majority of her impact didn't show up in the box score.
Hernandez and Slabe were able to get the most out of Rice and the rest of the Wolfpack front row, with Rice recording five of her 13 total kills on the day in the fourth set. The contest was capped off with back-to-back aces from Hernandez to score points 24 and 25, giving the Pack the 3-1 victory.
Hernandez will play her final game as a member of the Wolfpack this weekend, and she expects her younger teammates to step up as leaders when she's gone.
"Each girl is going to be having to take a little bit more on their plate, but I think they're more than capable," Hernandez said.
Slabe echoed Hernandez when it comes to the expectations for next season, as it's clear that the team is in need of leadership. Slabe and his staff are not sure where that will come from, but he hopes to see some of the players entering their junior and senior years stepping up in practice and in the Pack's final game of the season.
The Wolfpack will next travel to Syracuse on Saturday, Nov. 26. First serve against the Orange is set for noon to wrap up the season.
https://www.technicianonline.com/sports/nc-state-volleyball-beats-virginia-in-regular-season-home-finale/article_199cdb7e-6b90-11ed-8817-2b8ff65fe119.html

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙁𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙡𝙚.

🆚 Syracuse
🏟Women's Gym
📍Syracuse, NY
⏰12pm EDT
📊 https://t.co/BgTS8eZL78
💻 https://t.co/pXW4YklGs3
📺 ACCNX
🗞https://t.co/KVKSQ03iPg pic.twitter.com/PGyiZ37P8r

— Wolfpack Volleyball (@PackVball) November 26, 2022

Watching on ACCNX. Just astounds me that only camera Syracuse has is from end of court.

set 1
NC State 25
Syracuse 18

set 2
Syracuse 25
NC State 20

set 3
NC State 28
Syracuse 26

NC State leads match 2-1

set 4
NC State 25
Syracuse 15

NC State wins match 3-1

NC State volleyball took on Syracuse on the road for its final match of the 2022 season, crushing the Orange 3-1 in a competitive road match.

After splitting the first two sets, the Wolfpack took hold of the match, winning a tight third set 28-26 before finishing off Syracuse (11-17, 7-11 ACC) comfortably in the fourth. After handling the Orange on the road, NC State concludes the 2022 season with a solid 16-13 record, all while boasting a winning 10-8 conference record.

Sophomore outside hitter Martyna Leoniak led the NC State attack in the season finale, tallying a team-high 16 kills. Meanwhile, junior setter Naomi Cabello and senior setter Kristen McDaniel combined for nearly 90% of the Pack's assists, recording 20 and 18, respectively.

With the two veteran setters performing their jobs to a tee, the Pack started the match off strong, winning the first set 25-18. After exchanging points at the start of the set, NC State steadily widened its lead and never looked back, staying several points ahead of the Orange for nearly the entire period.

Despite the strong start, Syracuse battled back by taking the second set 25-20. Sustained back and forth play led to five lead changes and established a 16-16 tie towards the middle of the set. However, the Orange put on an impressive run, outscoring NC State 9-4 at the back end of the set to tie the match at 1-1.

The third set was equally as tense as the second, but this time neither team could pull away until the very end. With neither team able to establish a lead of more than a few points, the pivotal third set was easily the most exciting. After the heated back-and-forth play led to extra points, back-to-back kills by redshirt sophomore outside hitter Madison Williams finally ended things in NC State's favor, winning the third 28-26.

The big third set win gifted NC State all the momentum, allowing the red-and-white to cruise through an impressive fourth set win. Three straight service aces at the end of the set from Leoniak awarded the red-and-white a comfortable 25-15 win. But even before Leoniak's impressive service streak, the set and match were all but over. The Wolfpack was once again able to engineer a large lead over the Orange and ride it to victory.

In addition to Leoniak's stellar day, Williams and sophomore opposite hitter Amanda Rice played big parts in establishing those crucial leads in the first and fourth sets. They recorded 10 and 12 kills, respectively, helping the Wolfpack capture the road win over the Orange.

In what was the final match of the season for NC State volleyball, a positive performance against Syracuse capped off an overall successful year for the squad. While there won't be any more action in 2022, head coach Luka Slabe will be sure to once again lead NC State to another solid season in 2023

https://www.technicianonline.com/sports/nc-state-volleyball-downs-syracuse-3-1-in-tense-season-finale/article_349dc2e4-6dca-11ed-b9c4-6fc69d7f4af6.html