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Miles Jordan
Staff Writer
October 20, 2023
Ava Francis served as a key reason why Virginia Tech was able to snap a three-game losing streak. (Virginia Tech Athletics)
BLACKSBURG - Virginia Tech volleyball (12-8, 2-17 ACC) defeated Notre Dame (10-7, 4-5) in a back-and-fourth five-set match (22-25) (25-20) (27-25) (25-20) (15-13) on Friday night at Cassell Coliseum.
Since the start of ACC play, the Hokies have lost their last seven of eight games against ACC opponents and were coming off of a three-game losing streak as they entered their match against the Fighting Irish.
With the win, Tech head coach Marci Byers captured her first win against Notre Dame. The Hokies had dropped the first five matches against the Fighting Irish with Byers at the helm.
"Going into the game, everyone was aware of our history against them. I told the kids ‘good job getting the monkey off our back,’" Byers said postgame. "That win was a reflection of our team working hard, on and off the court."
Byers also reached another accomplishment, with the Hokies winning their 12th game of the season, tying her total highest win count since she has been the head coach at Virginia Tech. The last time the Hokies had a 12-win season under Byers was in 2021, when Tech finished the season with a record of 12-18.
VT right-side hitter Hailey Pearce dominated the Fighting Irish with a star-studded performance, which helped contribute to their win. Pearce finished the game with 11 kills and 14 digs, a double-double, and five service aces.
Pearce's fantastic game was accompanied by outside hitter Ava Francis' 16 kills and eight digs, a significant factor in the Hokies against Notre Dame. Francis also recorded two service aces alongside Pearce.
"Both players were playing six rotation roles and never subbed off," Byers said. "They were the heart of our team today, and we could not have had this win without them.
Outside hitter Elayna Duprey also played an outstanding game, finishing with 12 kills, followed by middle blocker Sydney Peterson, who finished the game with nine kills.
After the Hokies lost a back-and-forth battle against the Fighting Irish in the opening set, where they lost (25-22). The Hokies defining moment was their performance in the second set, where they led the entire set, only giving up three game-tying points.
"When I talked to the team after the first set, they told me that they didn't do anything to win set one," Byers said, "We gave that set away; that was all us making mistakes, and we found a way to capitalize in the second set."
While the Hokies captured the victory on their homecourt, the Fighting Irish were in the game the entire time, playing very well against the loud home crowd inside Cassell Coliseum.
In a possible elimination set in set four, the Fighting Irish won eight out of nine straight points to take a seven-point lead over the Hokies (20-13). While Virginia Tech rallied back, it was not enough to capture the set, and with the win, Notre Dame forced a fifth set that was played to 15 points instead of 25.
Outside hitter Sydney Palazzolo recorded a game-high 20 kills and was a force to the Hokies' defense, making the game extremely competitive. Her counterpart, Ava Lange, finished the game with 15 kills, contributing 35 of Notre Dame's 59 total kills.
Both teams finished with 59 total kills, but Notre Dame finished with six more errors than Virginia Tech, which, in a close match, can make all the difference.
The end of sets three and five, both won by the Hokies, were decided by official review after calls were overturned in favor of the Hokies, adding to the Fighting Irish's error total.
Notre Dame now must prepare to face off against Wake Forest in Winston-Salem on October 22, where they look to snap their two-game losing streak and capture a win against their ACC opponent.
On the other hand, the Hokies continue their stretch at home when they face the Louisville Cardinals in Cassell Coliseum on October 22.
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