No. 10 volleyball falls to N.C. State in 5 sets
Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2024 3:13 pmFrom SMUMustangs.com:
No. 10 Mustangs Fall In Five To NC State In Regular Season Finale
DALLAS (SMU) – No. 10 SMU volleyball fell to NC State (16-12, 11-9 ACC) in five sets, snapping the Mustangs nine-game winning streak to close out the regular season, with set scores of 15-25, 22-25, 25-14, 25-18, and 17-15.
SMU ended their first ACC regular season with a 24-7 record, 16-4 in conference games. The Mustangs finished fourth in the ACC standings after being picked sixth in their inaugural season in the league.
Naya Shime tied her season-high and led the Mustangs with 20 kills in the loss. Shime also collected her third double-double of the season, adding ten digs against the Wolfpack. Maya Tabron led the team in digs with 11 on the night.
Natalia Newsome notched a career-high seven kills in the loss while hitting .583 for the match. Nnedi Okammor added seven kills and six blocks, while Celia Cullen dished outed 44 assists and dug up eight balls.
SMU hit .084 as a team and was out-blocked 19-13 in the loss.
MATCH NOTES:
SMU fell for the first time in November this season. Under Coach Erger, SMU 22-4 during the month of November.
Tabron logged her 16th double-digit dig outing of the season.
Shime earned her third double-double of the season, second in the last three matches.
Shime also collected her 23rd match with 10+ kills, second with 20+ kills, and fourth with double-digit digs.
Okammor went for 5+ blocks for the 13th time this season.
SMU is 9-1 in their last ten games.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
SET ONE | The Mustangs got off to a 3-0 start and eventually stretched their lead to four (6-2) before NC State collected six straight to take an 8-6 lead. NC State's lead was short-lived as SMU collected four of the following five points to take back the lead. After a kill from the Wolfpack even the score at 10-all, SMU went 3-0 runs to go up 13-10, on a kill from Okammor, a solo lock from Cullen, and an attack error by the Wolfpack. The clubs traded points resulting in SMU keeping their three-point lead. After a kill from the Wolfpack, which cut the Mustangs' lead to 17-15, SMU closed out the set with an 8-0 run, capped off by an ace from Foster, giving SMU a 25-15 opening-set victory. The Mustangs held the Wolfpack to a .000 hitting percentage in the opening set.
SET TWO | After a 3-3 start to the set, three attack errors by the Wolfpack put the Mustangs up 6-3. SMU extended their lead to as much as four (9-5), before four straight by the Wolfpack evened the score. The two teams traded points until a stretch where NC State collected five out of six gave the Wolfpack a three-point lead (15-12). After trading the next two points, SMU caught fire, logging six straight on kills from Foster, Shime, and Okammor. The run put the Mustangs up 19-16. SMU worked their way to set point a few rallies later at 24-21 and closed out the set on a service error by the Wolfpack, winning the frame 25-22. Shime went a perfect four for four on the attack in the second set.
SET THREE | The Wolfpack got off to a 4-1 start in the third frame and extended their lead to five with a three-point run a few rallies later. NC State controlled the middle of the frame, using a 10-3 run to create the separation they needed to win the frame. SMU got as close as eight on a block from Cullen and Okammor, but NC State ran away with the third set to keep the match alive, ending the frame with three straight for a 25-14 set three win. SMU finished with their lowest hitting percentage of the match in the third frame, hitting -.067.
SET FOUR | A kill from Shime and an attack error by NC State gave SMU a 2-0 lead to start the fourth; however, the Wolfpack responded with three straight to jump back in from. Kills from Newsome and Wheeler but the Mustangs back in front momentarily, but another 3-0 run put the Wolfpack back in front. NC State again created separation midway through the set with a pair of three-point spurts, giving them a four-point cushion (18-14). NC State later closed the frame with six of the final eight to force a deciding fifth set.
SET FIVE | After a 4-4 draw to open the frame, NC State went on a 4-2 run to take an 8-6 edge into the media timeout. After the teams switched sides, NC State pushed their lead to three, scoring three of the next four. A kill by Cullen and a block from Shime and Newsome brought the Mustangs within one (11-10) and forced NC State to take a timeout. Out of the timeout, NC State got one point back, but SMU rallied for two more to even the score on a block from Newsome and Tabron, followed by a kill from Shime. The Wolfpack took the next two points to force the first match point of the frame. SMU responded with three straight, including two blocks and an attack error, to jump back in front 15-14. Unfortunately, NC State closed the match with a three-point run of their won for a 3-2 win in Dallas. Despite the loss, Newsome went off the first third set with six kills, tying her career-high in just one frame of work.
SMU LEADERS:
SMU Kills Leader: Naya Shime (20)
SMU Assist Leader: Celia Cullen (44)
SMU Digs Leader: Maya Tabron (11)
SMU Blocks Leader: Nnedi Okammor (6)
SMU Ace Leader: Natalie Foster/Casey Batenhorst (1)
UP NEXT:
SMU Volleyball will host a selection show watch party at Over Under Sports Bar tomorrow from 4-6 p.m. CT. The event is open to the public.
No. 10 Mustangs Fall In Five To NC State In Regular Season Finale
DALLAS (SMU) – No. 10 SMU volleyball fell to NC State (16-12, 11-9 ACC) in five sets, snapping the Mustangs nine-game winning streak to close out the regular season, with set scores of 15-25, 22-25, 25-14, 25-18, and 17-15.
SMU ended their first ACC regular season with a 24-7 record, 16-4 in conference games. The Mustangs finished fourth in the ACC standings after being picked sixth in their inaugural season in the league.
Naya Shime tied her season-high and led the Mustangs with 20 kills in the loss. Shime also collected her third double-double of the season, adding ten digs against the Wolfpack. Maya Tabron led the team in digs with 11 on the night.
Natalia Newsome notched a career-high seven kills in the loss while hitting .583 for the match. Nnedi Okammor added seven kills and six blocks, while Celia Cullen dished outed 44 assists and dug up eight balls.
SMU hit .084 as a team and was out-blocked 19-13 in the loss.
MATCH NOTES:
SMU fell for the first time in November this season. Under Coach Erger, SMU 22-4 during the month of November.
Tabron logged her 16th double-digit dig outing of the season.
Shime earned her third double-double of the season, second in the last three matches.
Shime also collected her 23rd match with 10+ kills, second with 20+ kills, and fourth with double-digit digs.
Okammor went for 5+ blocks for the 13th time this season.
SMU is 9-1 in their last ten games.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
SET ONE | The Mustangs got off to a 3-0 start and eventually stretched their lead to four (6-2) before NC State collected six straight to take an 8-6 lead. NC State's lead was short-lived as SMU collected four of the following five points to take back the lead. After a kill from the Wolfpack even the score at 10-all, SMU went 3-0 runs to go up 13-10, on a kill from Okammor, a solo lock from Cullen, and an attack error by the Wolfpack. The clubs traded points resulting in SMU keeping their three-point lead. After a kill from the Wolfpack, which cut the Mustangs' lead to 17-15, SMU closed out the set with an 8-0 run, capped off by an ace from Foster, giving SMU a 25-15 opening-set victory. The Mustangs held the Wolfpack to a .000 hitting percentage in the opening set.
SET TWO | After a 3-3 start to the set, three attack errors by the Wolfpack put the Mustangs up 6-3. SMU extended their lead to as much as four (9-5), before four straight by the Wolfpack evened the score. The two teams traded points until a stretch where NC State collected five out of six gave the Wolfpack a three-point lead (15-12). After trading the next two points, SMU caught fire, logging six straight on kills from Foster, Shime, and Okammor. The run put the Mustangs up 19-16. SMU worked their way to set point a few rallies later at 24-21 and closed out the set on a service error by the Wolfpack, winning the frame 25-22. Shime went a perfect four for four on the attack in the second set.
SET THREE | The Wolfpack got off to a 4-1 start in the third frame and extended their lead to five with a three-point run a few rallies later. NC State controlled the middle of the frame, using a 10-3 run to create the separation they needed to win the frame. SMU got as close as eight on a block from Cullen and Okammor, but NC State ran away with the third set to keep the match alive, ending the frame with three straight for a 25-14 set three win. SMU finished with their lowest hitting percentage of the match in the third frame, hitting -.067.
SET FOUR | A kill from Shime and an attack error by NC State gave SMU a 2-0 lead to start the fourth; however, the Wolfpack responded with three straight to jump back in from. Kills from Newsome and Wheeler but the Mustangs back in front momentarily, but another 3-0 run put the Wolfpack back in front. NC State again created separation midway through the set with a pair of three-point spurts, giving them a four-point cushion (18-14). NC State later closed the frame with six of the final eight to force a deciding fifth set.
SET FIVE | After a 4-4 draw to open the frame, NC State went on a 4-2 run to take an 8-6 edge into the media timeout. After the teams switched sides, NC State pushed their lead to three, scoring three of the next four. A kill by Cullen and a block from Shime and Newsome brought the Mustangs within one (11-10) and forced NC State to take a timeout. Out of the timeout, NC State got one point back, but SMU rallied for two more to even the score on a block from Newsome and Tabron, followed by a kill from Shime. The Wolfpack took the next two points to force the first match point of the frame. SMU responded with three straight, including two blocks and an attack error, to jump back in front 15-14. Unfortunately, NC State closed the match with a three-point run of their won for a 3-2 win in Dallas. Despite the loss, Newsome went off the first third set with six kills, tying her career-high in just one frame of work.
SMU LEADERS:
SMU Kills Leader: Naya Shime (20)
SMU Assist Leader: Celia Cullen (44)
SMU Digs Leader: Maya Tabron (11)
SMU Blocks Leader: Nnedi Okammor (6)
SMU Ace Leader: Natalie Foster/Casey Batenhorst (1)
UP NEXT:
SMU Volleyball will host a selection show watch party at Over Under Sports Bar tomorrow from 4-6 p.m. CT. The event is open to the public.