Volleyball ACCtion: Friday, October 23
Seminoles, Yellow Jackets, Tar Heels and Cavaliers sweep.
Branagan Fuller posted a career-high 16 kills to help UNC sweep Miami.

Branagan Fuller posted a career-high 16 kills to help UNC sweep Miami.

Oct. 23, 2009

No. 17 'Noles Pummel 'Pack
After two weekends in a row on the road, the No. 17 Florida State volleyball team returned to Tully Gym Friday night and defeated visiting N.C. State 3-0 (32-30, 25-17, 25-18).

The Seminoles (18-2, 9-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) have now won 20 matches in a row against the Wolfpack (7-17, 0-9) as they became the first team in the ACC to reach nine conference victories this season.

With the triumph, Florida State's current conference winning streak has been extended to six games, which is just one shy of the school record seven-straight that the 1992 and '98 teams achieved.

Duke Tames Tigers 3-2
Becci Burling recorded her first double-double of the season with 14 kills and 10 blocks to lead Duke to a 3-2 (17-25, 25-16, 23-25, 25-20, 15-11) come-from-behind victory over Clemson Friday evening in Jervey Gymnasium.

Burling reached double-digit blocks for the second time this season while also extending a streak of seven straight matches with at least 10 kills. The junior middle blocker hit .355 against the Tigers (15-7, 5-5 ACC) and picked up seven of her blocks in the final two sets as Duke (18-4, 8-2 ACC) rebounded from a 2-1 deficit to win the final two games and lock up the win.

Burling was one of three Blue Devils to reach double-digit kills, joining senior Rachael Moss, who finished with a team-high 19, and sophomore Sophia Dunworth, who matched Burling with 14. Moss came up big for Duke in the last two sets, accounting for 10 kills, three blocks and five digs to help the Blue Devils overcome the near-upset.

Georgia Tech Improves To 11-0 At Home By Sweeping Wake, 3-0
Senior Chrissy DeMichelis and sophomore Bailey Hunter had 10 kills apiece as the Georgia Tech Volleyball team (14-6, 8-2 ACC) defeated Wake Forest (7-14, 5-5), 3-0 (25-14, 25-18, 25-13) Friday night at O'Keefe Gym. With the win, the Yellow Jackets improve to 11-0 at home.

The Yellow Jackets held Wake Forest to just a .011 hitting percentage for the night. Hunter notched her 17th straight match with at least 10 kills as she hit .318. The Yellow Jackets had 12 blocks in the match, including two solo ones by DeMichelis. Junior Mary Ashley Tippins had five total blocks as well as 29 assists.

Sophomore Asia Stawicka added seven kills on .545 hitting as well as five total blocks. Freshman Monique Mead had eight kills and junior Jordan McCullers added a team-high 16 digs.

Tar Heels Handle Hurricanes
The University of North Carolina volleyball team defeated Miami Friday 3-0 with set scores 25-22, 27-25 and 25-14. Carolina improves to 11-9 overall and 7-2 in league play, while Miami falls to 12-8 overall and 5-5 in league play. Carolina posted a . hitting percentage behind three players in double-digit kills serviced by Cora Harms' 40 assists. Branagan Fuller posted a season-high 16 kills, Ingrid Hanson-Tuntland 11 kills and Courtney Johnston 10 kills. Three players also posted double-digit digs led by Megan Owens' 15. The Tar Heels were devoid of outside hitters Emily McGee and Suzanne Haydel, who did not travel to Florida due to illness.

Carolina posted a .345 hitting percentage and posted sideout percentages all over 60%. Fuller posted a Carolina career best 16 kills. Fuller, a transfer from UNC Greensboro, recorded a career best 32 kills in her three year career as a Spartan. Carolina also posted five service aces, despite nine service errors. Five Tar Heel players hit at least .250 or above en route to their fourth straight victory and fifth 3-0 sweep of the season.

The opening set began in competitive fashion before Carolina finally got out in front 13-10. Brangan Fuller and Courtney Johnston got the Heels on the board early posting seven kills collectively. The Hurricanes stormed back to knot the score at 16 and continued to play well pushing out in front 19-18 forcing a timely Joe Sagula timeout. The score remained tight until Carolina claimed set one 25-22. Carolina hit at a .333 clip in the first set behind nine Fuller kills.

Asque Leads Cavaliers to Sweep of Maryland
The Virginia volleyball team started its two-match road swing with a convincing 3-0 (25-19, 25-23, 25-19) victory at the University of Maryland on Friday evening in the Comcast Pavilion.

Landing a season-high in kills, and tying a career-high, sophomore Simone Asque led Virginia’s attack by tallying a match-high 21 kills. Junior Sydney Hill helped paced the attack with eight, while junior Kendahl Voelker contributed seven.

Freshman Rachel Gray dished out 35 helpers to control the offense and senior Brittani Rendina led the defense with 16 digs. Senior Tara Hester added a season-best 11 digs and from behind the line, junior AJ Cushman landed two service aces to go with eight digs.

Record tallies 23 kills as Hokies down Eagles
The Virginia Tech volleyball squad pushed their winning streak to five matches on Friday night, defeating Boston College, 3-2 (24-26, 25-16, 25-23, 15-25, 15-7), in Power Gym in Chestnut Hill, Mass.

The opening frame set the tone of the match, as the two squads tied each other 14 times. After pulling ahead 21-16, the Hokies (16-5, 6-4 ACC) allowed the Eagles (11-10, 1-9 ACC) to battle back and even the match at 24 apiece. Boston College took its first lead of the period on the next point off a blocking error by senior Betsy Horowitz, and followed that with a block of freshman Cara Baarendse’s attack on set point to capture the stanza, 26-24.

Tech raced out to another five-point advantage at 10-5 in the second period, and continued to maintain the breathing room for much of the rest of the stanza. Leading 16-13, the Hokies embarked on an 8-1 run to secure control of the frame, and eventually won set two, 25-16.