hughes' 12 kills not enough as tigers sweep hokies

Joey Robertson

Staff Writer

September 23, 2021

BLACKSBURG — Coming into the match, Virginia Tech was looking to get off to a good start in its first ACC match of the season.

However, Clemson had other ideas as it marched into Cassell Coliseum on a cool fall evening and handled business as it swept the Hokies, 3-0.

The Hokies seemed ready to go in what was supposed to be an even matchup. You could tell there was something in the air during warmups as the Hokies took the floor. They were dancing and singing while also looking locked in and focused at the same time.

It took outside hitter Griere Hughes no time at all to start tallying kills as she jumped high in the air and hammered the ball into the floor on the second play of the first set. She would end up having 12 kills in the losing effort.

The two teams traded punches back and forth until Clemson used a five-point run midway through the first set to solidify its lead as it took the first set, 25-22.

The Hokies battled back and made it close in the second set but once again could not stop the Tigers offense as they dropped the second set, 25-23.

After the second set, Hokies head coach Marci Byers didn’t like what she saw from the team and decided to take them to the locker to strategize and hopefully find some answers. However, those answers were never found.

From that point on it was all Tigers as they jumped out to an early lead in the third set and never gave that lead up as they handled the Hokies, 25-18, for a sweep.

Camryn Hannah tallied 13 kills for the Tigers as the Hokies couldn’t find a way to stop her.

Marisa Cerchio tallied seven kills and Angel Robinson had five kills for the Hokies offense that just struggled to find their footing.