Sept. 25, 2008

Box Score | Box Score in PDF Format

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Despite double-doubles from sophomores Kelsey Jones and Kristen White, the Wake Forest volleyball team dropped a see-saw five-set match to visiting Florida State Thursday evening in Reynolds Gymnasium.

The Seminoles were able to escape town with a 25-23, 25-13, 25-23, 25-16, 15-12 victory. The win evens FSU's ACC record at 1-1 and improves its overall record to 9-3. The loss was the first setback at home this season for the Deacons, who fall to 9-4 overall and 0-1 in the conference.

Florida State had four different players with double-digit kills on the night led by Lauren Richardson's 14. She also had 14 digs to go along with four blocks. Jordana Price had a strong night at the net, posting a double-double with 12 kills and 11 blocks.

White notched a match-high 16 kills and also recorded 11 digs for the Deacs. Jones had a solid night distributing the ball, posting 52 assists and notching 16 digs. Graduate student Natalie Mullikin had 13 kills and three total blocks while freshman Kadija Fornah chipped in with 10 kills.

The match couldn't have started out any better for Wake as it ran out to an early 9-5 lead in the first set and extended the lead to 15-9 before FSU took timeout. The Seminoles went on a 5-1 run coming out of the timeout to pull to within two at 16-14.

The teams traded sideouts until a kill by sophomore Lauren McIntyre made the score 23-21 in favor of the Deacs. FSU scored two of the next three points before Wake took a timeout up 24-23. Coming out of the timeout, Richardson's serve went into the net, giving Wake the first set 25-23. Senior Ashley Homitz posted four of her six kills in the opening set.

As good as the first set was for Wake, the second set was equally as bad. The Deacs could not get the offense on track and five total blocks by FSU in the set didn't make things easier.

With the score tied at 5-5, FSU went on a 10-0 run to open up a 15-5 lead. The lead with eventually swell to as large as 21-9 and the Seminoles would roll to an easy 25-13 victory.

After the intermission, the teams traded points to open the third set. With the score 8-6 in favor of Wake, the Deacons went on a 7-3 run, keyed by a pair of kills from Mullikin. FSU was forced to call a timeout with the hosts up 15-9.

Wake scored the first point out of the timeout but the Seminoles then went on a 6-0 run to cut the lead to one at 16-15. A kill by White and two more kills from Mullikin gave Wake a 20-17 advantage and the teams would trade points the rest of the way, giving Wake a 25-23 set win. White finished the set with seven kills and Mullikin added six kills.

The fourth set looked much like the second set for Wake. The offense couldn't get going and FSU went on three different 5-0 runs to eventually win the set 25-16. The Seminoles had a sideout percentage of 70 in the set while the Deacs managed a sideout just 45 percent of the time.

The fifth set was the most entertaining set of the evening. With the score tied at 2-2, FSU won the next two points on a pair of long well-played rallies. Wake then took the next two points and Florida State responded by winning the following two points to grab a 6-4 lead and force a Wake Forest timeout.

Fornah had a kill coming out of the timeout and an attack error by Richardson evened the score again at 6-6. Freshman Carlin Salmon then connected on a kill to give Wake an 8-7 lead at the midway point.

After the teams traded ends, FSU came back with a kill and a block from Nikki Baker on back-to-back points to open up a 9-8 lead. Salmon then took a perfect set from Jones and pounded an aggressive kill to once again even the score at 9-9.

The teams then split the next six points to put the score at 12-12 after a timeout. White came out of the timeout with a service error giving FSU a 13-12 lead and Jordana Price would then hook up with Abby Niekamp and Richardson for back-to-back block assists to end the match.

The fifth set featured 10 ties and four lead changes while the score was tied just eight times through the first four sets.

Florida State held a distinct advantage at the net, finishing the night with 17.5 total blocks compared to just five for the Deacs. As a result, Wake had a hitting percentage of .124 while FSU hit at a .249 clip.

Wake won't have long to dwell on tonight's match as ACC-leader Miami comes into Reynolds Gym Friday night. The Hurricanes knocked off Duke in four sets Thursday night and are unblemished at 13-0. The match is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. and tickets are again just $2 at the door.