virginia tech beats rival virginia in four sets to sweep weekend series

Duncan Weigand

October 19, 2020

BLACKSBURG — In its first action since Sept. 25, Virginia Tech cruised through Virginia Friday night and later swept the Commonwealth Clash against the Cavaliers 3-1 at Cassell Coliseum on Sunday evening.

The Hokies, who already knocked off the rust with the win on Friday, looked even stronger in the first two sets, but played a sloppy third. Tech rebounded and won the final set to avenge its two losses against the Cavaliers last season.

Virginia Tech opened up the match with a back and forth set against UVa. Tech went down early 5-3 after a strong start by Virginia. Shortly after, a service ace from outside hitter Kaity Smith tied the game at six apiece. Virginia Tech didn’t look back after tying the set at six and dominated the first set 25-21.

The Hokies continued their dominance in the second set and quickly went up 16-10. Middle blocker Marisa Cerchio, outside hitter Ashley Homan and Smith recorded the key kills for VT. In the end, it was Smith who registered the final kill, and Tech took the set 25-15 to put itself up 2-0 in the match.

Smith, the six-foot-one outside hitter, recorded a team-high 17 kills and 14 digs, good for her 26th career double-double. She also recorded two service aces and only four errors. Smith, a graduate student, notched her 1,000 career kill in Sunday's match.

“It feels really great,” Smith said postgame. “I really could not have done it without my teammates and the setters but overall, it's a really great feeling and it puts a lot of confidence in me.”

Virginia Tech looked like a completely different team in the third set. There were many missed hits and errors committed by the Hokies and Tech found itself in a hole early, trailing 7-2. Cerchio continued her hot streak and recorded three kills as Tech tried to lead a half-hearted comeback. Virginia Tech fell short in the set to the Cavaliers, losing 25-18.

In the last set, the Hokies found themselves again jumping out to an early 7-4 lead. They looked determined to end the match during the fourth set. Cerchio continued her dominant performance and recorded four more kills in the fourth set as well, and the Hokies took the final set of the match 25-22 to win the series 3-1.

Cerchio recorded 13 kills and only two errors in Tech’s win. The senior from Cincinnati played in all four sets Sunday night and added four block assists and three digs.

Virginia Tech’s weekend sweep brings the Hokies to 4-1 overall and 3-1 in conference play during this shortened fall season. Tech takes on Duke (4-1) in Durham, North Carolina, which will be a two-game series next weekend. Virginia Tech still plans to make up the two-game series against NC State that it missed earlier this fall.

Virginia, meanwhile, drops to 1-3 on the season and will head home to face the Wolfpack next weekend.