Despite playing without one of its most important veterans, the Virginia volleyball team scored a pair of five-set match wins against Georgia Tech and Clemson this weekend. With the victories, the Cavaliers (14-10, 7-5 ACC) moved above .500 in the ACC for the first time since 2009, and have won four straight conference matches for the first time since 2006.
In the first match, Virginia paid a visit to the Yellow Jackets (9-15, 3-9 ACC) Friday. The Cavaliers jumped out to an early lead, winning the first set 25-17, but then lost each of the next two frames 22-25.
Facing defeat, Virginia dominated the fourth set 25-13, then took the deciding fifth 15-12 to earn the win. Freshman Haley Kole paced the team with 20 kills, her second highest total of the season.
The team hit the court again the next night at Clemson (12-11, 6-6 ACC). The Tigers seized the first frame 18-25, but the Cavaliers evened the match by winning the second, 25-19, serving five aces. Clemson took the third 21-25 to put Virginia at a 2-1 deficit for the second night in a row.
However, the Cavaliers again responded to the challenge. They never trailed in the fourth set en route to a 25-21 win to force a deciding fifth set. The teams split the first eight points in the final frame, but Virginia took the next five for a 9-4 lead, ultimately prevailing 15-12.
Kole again led the team in kills, this time with 19, followed by freshman Jasmine Burton with 18. Sophomore Lauren Fuller recorded 60 assists, becoming the first Cavalier since Beth Wildermuth in 2010 to reach that mark. Clemson senior Mo Simmons, who leads the conference with 4.72 kills per set, had a match-high 21 kills.
With junior Mallory Woolridge sidelined at least for the weekend, if not longer, the rest of the team needed to find a way to replace her presence on the net. Starting 21 of the team’s 24 matches this season, Woolridge averaged a team-high 1.02 blocks per set and .301 hitting percentage.
Sophomore Natalie Bausback played a big role in filling in for Woolridge, tallying a team-best 12 blocks between the two matches. Kole and Burton helped on the hitting front as they combined for 64 kills. There is no timetable yet on when Woolridge will be able to play again.
The Cavaliers come home next weekend, hosting No. 20 Florida State Friday and Miami Saturday, both at Memorial Gymnasium.
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