Turner racks up 19 kills as Hoos sweep Hokies on Senior Night

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Posted on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, 9:07 pm

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Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Photo: UVA Athletics

In front of a Memorial Gymnasium record crowd of 1,108 on Senior Night, Grace Turner ripped 19 kills and hit .343 in Virginia’s 25-15, 25-23, 25-22 sweep over Virginia Tech Friday night. Turner’s 19 kills are the most by a Cavalier in a three-set match since 2013 and are good for No. 5 all-time among three set matches.

With the win, the Cavaliers (12-14, 4-11 ACC) swept the season series over Virginia Tech (11-15, 4-11) and extended UVA’s lead in the Commonwealth Clash standings, presented by Smithfield, to 5.0 to 0.5. The win is also UVA’s first sweep over Hokies in Mem Gym since 2007.

Setter Gabby Easton dished out 36 assists and recorded a team-high 11 digs to tally her fifth double-double of the season. Abby Tadder (7 kills, .385 Hit%), Brooklyn Borum (7 kills, 3 aces) and Kate Johnson (4 aces) also chipped in for the Cavaliers.

Set 1: Virginia 25, Virginia Tech 15
Virginia cruised to victory in the first after a 10-1 UVA run flipped the score, which gave the Cavaliers a comfortable 17-9 lead. Three unanswered Virginia points extended its lead later in the game before Easton’s third kill sealed the set win. Turner posted six kills and hit .417 in the first, while Easton dished out 11 assists and starting libero Heyli Velasquez recorded seven digs in the opening frame.

Set 2: Virginia 25, Virginia Tech 23
The second set came down to the wire after the Hokies led 22-19 late in the game. A kill and a block assist from Tader cut the VT lead to just one, but the Hokies scored on the very next play to go up, 23-21. After that, the Cavaliers claimed four straight points to close out the set and deliver the win, 25-23. Turner tallied 10 of her 19 kills in the second and hit .467. As a team, UVA hit .355 in the second frame.

Set 3: Virginia 25, Virginia Tech 22
Coming out of the break, Virginia Tech held a 10-6 lead before the Cavaliers started to mount a comeback. After three straight UVA kills, Johnson dialed up three of her four aces to shift the momentum. The run was ultimately capped by a Johnson service error, but not after she helped UVA grasp a 13-10 lead. The Cavaliers extended their advantage to 21-14, but seven straight VT points tied the third, 21-21. Turner broke up the Hokies’ run and the two teams traded points until Borum and fourth-year middle blocker Mattison Matthews scored the final two points of the match on back-to-back kills.

WITH THE WIN… 

  • Virginia improved to 39-40 in the all-time series and swept the Hokies in the season series with the two teams having also played in Blacksburg on Oct. 28.
  • The Cavaliers are 3-3 in their last six matches, all of which were against ACC foes.
  • Shannon Wells tallied her 20th career victory as UVA head coach.

ADDITIONAL NOTES 

  • Friday’s attendance was 1,108, the most spectators at a Virginia volleyball match in Memorial Gymnasium since the 2003 renovation. The previous record was 1,089 which was set on Sept. 27, 2019, also against Virginia Tech.
  • Turner posted 19 kills, the most by a Cavalier in a three-set match since 2013. Her 19 kills are also good for No. 5 in UVA history among three set matches.
  • With her first kill of the match, Veresia Yon tallied her 900th career kill. The West Florida transfer came to UVA with 792 career kills.
  • Virginia recognized its five non-returning fourth and fifth year players prior to the start of Friday’s match, including Josi Williams, Jayna Francis, Mattison Matthews, Turner and Simone Dominique.
  • UVA also honored the return to Grounds of over 20 alumnae in between sets 2 and 3.

UP NEXT
Virginia rounds out its 2022 home slate next Sunday (Nov. 20), when the Cavaliers host Wake Forest. First serve against the Demon Deacons is scheduled for 1 p.m. in Mem Gym.