Volleyball Downs ACC Foe Wake Forest in Four Sets

Saturday, August 29

Chicago, Ill.

11 AM

University of New Hampshire

1-2

Wake Forest University

1-2

New Hampshire

Wake Forest

Junior middle blocker Demi Muses was named to the Rambler Classic All-Tournament Team.

Photo by: Greg Greene

8/29/2015 3:21:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

CHICAGO -- Junior middle blocker Demi Muses (Orangevale, Calif.) flirted with a triple-double and was instrumental in lifting the University of New Hampshire volleyball team to Saturday's four-set triumph over Wake Forest University at Gentile Arena, capping off the Rambler Classic.

The set scores were 15-25, 25-19, 25-21 and 29-27.

UNH picks up its first victory of the 2015 season in the non-conference tilt. Wake Forest slips to 1-2 in the first-ever meeting between the two schools. The win for the Wildcats is the first against an opponent from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) since Sept. 21, 2002 against North Carolina State University.

Muses, named to the All-Tournament Team, led the floor for the Wildcats with 18 kills, eight blocks and seven digs on the strength of a .459 hitting percentage. Senior outside hitter Tori Forrest (Powder Springs, Ga.) came close to a double-double, registering nine kills and nine digs. Junior Keelin Severtson (Delray Beach, Fla.) ran the offense from the setter position, tallying 28 assists and five digs. Senior defensive specialist Madison Lightfoot (Clarkston, Mich.) anchored the defense with nine digs. Senior outside hitters Maggie Kenney (Merrimack, N.H.) and Abby Brinkman (Brecksville, Ohio) matched their career bests in blocks with five and four, respectively.

Senior Matalee Reed led the Demon Deacon offense with a match-high 20 kills and a .279 attack percentage. Junior setter Sophia Dodd orchestrated the offense by dishing out 38 helpers. Sophomore libero Caroline Wolf paced the defensive effort, scooping up 15 digs.

New Hampshire stifled the Wake Forest offense to a .170 hitting percentage. The 'Cats wrecked havoc at the net, out blocking the opposition by a 12 to five margin.

The Deacs took an early 10-4 lead to open the match, landing six kills and two aces in the first 14 exchanges. New Hampshire used a timeout to try to stop the Wake Forest momentum. However, the Demon Deacons preserved their lead up to 20-13 late in the set. After a second UNH timeout, Forest attempted to jumpstart the offense to rally late in the stanza with a kill. The UNH point was followed by a combo block from seniors Cassidy Croci (Sylvania, Ohio) and Brinkman. Wake Forest regained its composure and captured set one, powered by a 5-2 run.

The Wildcats tallied the first two points of the second stanza, but the Deacs battled back to take a 5-2 advantage. UNH swiftly responded as Muses connected on a kill accompanied by a combo block with Kenney. The 'Cats were able to hit the 10-point threshold first as Forrest landed two kills sandwiched by three miscues by the Deacs attack to lead 10-6. New Hampshire continued to exert its offensive prowess as Forrest, Kenney and Severtson all landed kills, forcing Wake Forest to huddle. UNH continued its offensive run, maximizing a 14-3 momentum to lead 20-9 late in the frame. The Deacs would not go away quietly, clawing back with a 6-2 run of their own. New Hampshire used its first timeout to silence the late-set rally, but Wake Forest crept closer as it whittled the UNH lead down to 22-19. Despite the Demon Deacons efforts, the 'Cats extinguished the run with swings from Brinkman and Muses to even the match into intermission.

The third set was a back-and-forth battle, featuring 11 ties and three lead changes. Knotted at the 18 mark, the Wildcats carved out a two-point edge on a block by Brinkman and Muses followed by a Deacs offensive error. Wake Forest opted to use a timeout and evened the stanza at the 20 mark. However, the Wildcats recovered their two-point on another Deacs error and a combo block by Kenney and Muses. Brinkman added on to the scoring with a timely service ace to lead 23-20. Wake Forest exerted two more errors to give UNH its first lead of the match entering the fourth set.

Much like the previous set, the decisive frame was highly contested. Consisting of 13 lead changes and seven ties, Wake Forest jumped out to a 13-9 advantage in the fourth stanza. UNH swiftly erased the four-point deficit as Croci, Forrest and Muses furnished the scoring as part of a 5-1 run to lead 14-13. The two sides traded leads, as the frame required extra points at the 25 mark. New Hampshire forced match point on Wake Forest twice, but was shrugged off as the score rose to 27 apiece. The upperclassmen duo of Forrest and Kenney slammed the door on the Deacs with back-to-back kills, driving UNH to a marathon 29-27 set win and the first victory of the 2015 season.

The Wildcats travel to Boston on Tuesday, Sept. 1 (7 p.m.) to tussle with Northeastern University. UNH debuts at Lundholm Gymnasium on Tuesday, Sept. 8 against Bryant University to start a four-match homestand.

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