Liberty University
4-8
Virginia Tech
9-3
Lady Flames Strike First, Fall to Hokies, 3-1
9/19/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
The Liberty volleyball team led Virginia Tech, 1-0, following a 25-22 set-one victory. The host Hokies then won the final three sets for a 3-1 (22-25, 25-9, 25-18, 25-21) victory over the Lady Flames, Saturday at Cassell Coliseum.
Virginia Tech (9-3) finished out the Hokie Invitational with a 2-1 showing, falling to tournament champion Chattanooga earlier today. The Lady Flames, in the midst of a six-match winless streak, fall to 4-8 entering conference play.
Liberty's Sirena Vorster was named to the all-tournament team for her play this weekend.
The Hokies outhit the Lady Flames .304-.122 on the evening. Virginia Tech also held a 10-7 edge in blocks while leading 57-53 in digs and 5-1 in service aces.
Lindsay Owens recorded a match-high 18 kills to go with 14 digs and four blocks for the Hokies. Kennedy Bryan and Amanda McKinzie scored 13 kills each, while Rhegan Mitchel contributed 51 assists and 10 digs. Kenedy McGrath collected 15 digs, while Cara Cunningham posted seven block assists.
Haley Jeffcoat led the Lady Flames with a career-high 15 kills. Vorster followed with 10 kiils. Anna Willey dished out 32 assists and added four blocks. Margaret Latchford collected a match-high 21 digs, while Allie Reynolds and Lindsay Foreman chipped in eight digs apiece.
Liberty made a tremendous comeback to take set one. Virginia Tech led, 22-17 following consecutive kills by Ashley Battle. The Lady Flames took over from there, as a block by Sydney Morris and Susan Babcock sparked Liberty's set-closing 8-0 run, giving Liberty the 25-22 victory. Reynolds served the final seven points, including a tiebreaking ace.
The guests hit .357 during the opening set, while Virginia Tech hit .250. Bryan scored six kills and Jeffcoat countered with five kills.
Virginia Tech responded with a 25-9 win during the second set, hitting .667 while holding the Lady Flames to a -.033 hitting percentage. Owens sent down six set-two kills for the Hokies, who led from start to finish.
The Hokies pulled away late in set three. Vorster drew the Lady Flames to within 19-17 with her fourth kill of the set. Mitchell then started a 3-0 Virginia Tech run with a kill. Vorster scored a kill, slicing the deficit to 22-18, before the hosts scored the final three points to seal the set win.
Virginia Tech hit .184 during the third session, compared to .023 for the Lady Flames, while the Hokies came through with six blocks. Vorster sent down five kills, while McKinzie recorded four kills for the home squad.
The hosts raced out to a 19-12 lead in the fourth set. Jeffcoat scored two kills and added a block during a 4-0 Liberty rally to draw her team to within 19-16. A pair of Hokie kills ensued, and Vorster made it 21-18 with a kill. However, the Hokies closed to the finish, sealing the match win when Bryan scored the winning kill, 25-21.
Owens sent down seven set-four kills, while Jeffcoat scored six kills for the Lady Flames. Virginia Tech outhit Liberty, .304-.184 in the final set.
The Lady Flames begin Big South play on Friday, playing at defending Big South regular season champion Radford. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Dedmon Center.
