Owens lifts Tech to 3-1 win at Clemson

Mitchell posts a double-double with 50 assists and 11 digs

November 6, 2016

	1	2	3	4	F
Virginia Tech (9-16)	25	20	25	25	3
Clemson (6-20)	17	25	23	15	1
Jervey Gym - 721 Box Score

CLEMSON, S.C. – Senior Lindsey Owens posted a season-high 24 kills to go along with a .561 hitting percentage, 12 digs and two blocks to help propel the Virginia Tech volleyball team to a 3-1 victory (25-17, 20-25, 25-23, 25-15) over Clemson on Sunday afternoon.

The Hokies (9-16, 4-10 ACC) hit .270 as a team and out-served the Tigers (6-20, 1-13 ACC), 8-1. Junior Cara Cunningham had a match-high three service aces and hit .667 (5-1-6) for Tech while senior Amanda McKinzie chipped in with 16 kills.

The Tigers took a two-point lead to create some separation in the first game, 13-11, on back-to-back Tech attack errors. Clemson still led 14-12 after a timeout taken by Tech but the Hokies responded with an impressive 10-0 run that turned a two-point deficit into a 22-14 advantage. The spurt proved to be too much for the Tigers as the Hokies took an early 1-0 lead in the match with a convincing 25-17 win in the first.

After Clemson knotted up the match at 1-1, both sides went back-and-forth in the third set. Tech’s outsides took over with the score tied at 22-22 as Owens and McKinzie posted consecutive kills to give the Hokies set point at 24-22. After a Clemson point, Owens finished off the game with her eighth kill of the set to clinch the third, 25-23.

The Hokies used another big run in the fourth set, this time a 10-2 run, to take a commanding 20-12 lead. Owens tallied eight kills again in the fourth set and Tech hit .467 en route to a 25-15 match clinching win in the fourth set.

Tech returns to Cassell Coliseum on Friday, Nov. 11, with a 6:15 p.m. match against Duke. The Hokies’ Senior Day will take place on Sunday, Nov. 13, against Wake Forest at 1 p.m.

MATCH NOTES

• Sophomore Rhegan Mitchell registered 50 assists and 11 digs, her first double-double of the season and her first 50+ assist performance since Sept. 2 against Temple.
• With six matches remaining, McKinzie is now up to 926 career kills, 74 shy of 1,000.
• Owens now has 13 double-doubles on the season after her 24 kill, 12 dig performance on Sunday.
• Owens’ 24 kills set a season-high, snapping her previous best of 22 that she tallied in three matches.
• Junior Rhana Mitchell set a career-high with eight digs, including six digs in the third set.

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