The Virginia women's volleyball team captured its second-straight Jefferson Cup title this weekend with a perfect 3-0 record.\nEarly Friday afternoon, the Cavaliers swept North Carolina Central, cruising to wins of 25-12, 25-13 and 25-14.\nThe competition against VCU, however, proved to be much tougher. VCU, coming off an earlier win against Campbell University, came out with a fierce intensity. Virginia was unable to handle the Rams' hard-hitting front line, quickly dropping the first two sets to a hustling VCU.\n"They were just much better then we were in the first two games with their serving and passing versus ours," coach Lee Maes said.\nAfter a brief pep talk in the locker room during intermission, Virginia reemerged as a completely transformed team.\n"We went back in the locker room, and [said] we're not going to lose at our house, we're going to protect it," freshman setter Rachel Gray said.\nWith the addition of junior right side hitter Kendahl Voelker, the Cavaliers found the key to defeat the Rams' front line. Virginia fought back and won its third set 25-20 and its fourth set 25-23.\nThe impressive comeback gave Virginia the motivation it needed to climb ahead early in the fifth set. The Cavaliers went up 11-3, but the Rams narrowed the gap to five. But with the 6-foot-1 blocking duo of senior outside hitter Lauren Dickson and freshman middle Jessica O'Shoney, Virginia closed out the highly contested match, winning 15-9.\n"We played with a lot of heart," Gray said.\nVirginia's sophomore outside hitter Simone Asque, Dickson and Gray each had their first double-doubles of the season against the Rams.\nWith a 2-0 record and the tournament's most challenging team defeated, Virginia seemed poised for victory against Campbell University.\nThough a slow start in the match nearly landed them an early set loss, the Cavaliers recovered momentum by the end of the set with a score 26-24, then easily topped Campbell in the next two sets.\nThe impressive play at home provided the Cavaliers with additional confidence for the rest of the season ahead.\n"I think that's a good goal for us: to be undefeated at home," Dickson said.\nDickson delivered a first-rate performance, including a weekend total of 48 kills , to earn Tournament MVP honors.\n"She was great passing the ball for us but at the same time very efficient as an attacker," Maes said.\nGray was also a member of the All-Tournament team, commanding the offense and dishing out 114 assists. The match against VCU highlighted her defensive abilities as she was able to notch 13 digs.\n"Rachel did a really good job of distributing the ball this weekend, making some great decisions that opened up some easy opportunities for me," Dickson said.\nAnother member of the All-Tournament team from Virginia was junior libero A.J. Cushman. Cushman held down the back row and demonstrated great efficiency, tallying 35 digs on the weekend.\nWith the title of back-to-back Jefferson Cup champions, the Cavaliers head to the Ameritas Players Challenge in Lincoln, Neb. this weekend to take on powerhouse Nebraska and top competitors UCLA and BYU.\n"I think [the tournament title] will give us a lot of momentum going into our next tournament," Gray said.
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