The Shadow
EVANSTON, Ill. (VR) — Virginia Tech fell to Green Bay, 3-2 (24-26, 25-23, 16-25, 21-25, 9-15), Saturday evening at Welsh-Ryan Arena at the Northwestern Invitational.
The first set opened with several early ties before Tech used a 4-0 run to take a 6-3 lead, with kills from Adeline Hundl, Sara Gasparini and Layla Moore contributing to the early advantage.
Green Bay worked to close the gap, eventually tying the set at 15-15 before taking a 19-16 lead and forcing a Virginia Tech timeout. Out of the break, the Hokies responded with a block from Moore and Frances Torres, followed by a kill from Reese Hazelton. Tech then used a 3-0 run to take a 21-20 lead and force a Green Bay timeout. After the teams traded points late, Green Bay closed the set with four straight points to take the opening frame, 26-24.
The Hokies responded in the second set, opening with a 5-2 lead. Green Bay worked to close the gap, but Tech pushed its advantage to 16-10. The Phoenix eventually took an 18-17 lead, forcing a Virginia Tech timeout. Tech answered out of the break to regain a 20-18 advantage and force a Green Bay timeout. The teams traded four more ties before the Hokies closed the set on a 3-0 run, highlighted by kills from Hundl and Gasparini and a set-clinching block from Hundl and Izzy Mishler, to win 25-23.
Virginia Tech struggled to find its rhythm early in the third set as Green Bay jumped out to a 6-1 lead and eventually extended its advantage to 15-5. The Hokies battled back late, cutting the deficit to 24-16 behind kills from Gasparini, Torres and Hazelton, but Green Bay closed out the set, 25-16.
Tech built a 20-16 advantage late in the fourth set behind a 5-0 run sparked by back-to-back kills from Hazelton. Green Bay responded with five consecutive points to even the set at 21-21 before scoring the final four points to take the set, 25-21.
In the deciding fifth set, the Hokies jumped out to an early 2-1 lead before Green Bay responded with a 3-0 run to take a 4-2 advantage. Tech battled back to tie the set at 5-5 behind a Gasparini kill, but the Phoenix answered with another run to build an 8-4 lead. Hazelton provided a kill out of a Tech timeout to cut the deficit to 9-5, while a Green Bay service error brought the Hokies within four at 10-6. Green Bay maintained control from there, extending its lead to 12-7 before Tech made one final push. Mishler added two kills in the set, while Hazelton and Gasparini each contributed two, but the Phoenix reached match point at 14-9 and closed out the fifth set, 15-9, to secure the 3-2 victory.
Match Notes
- Reese Hazelton led the Hokies with a career best 26 kills and 18 digs for a double-double. She hit .358 and added four blocks.
- Sara Gasparini recorded a double-double with 11 kills and 14 digs, adding four assists and a block.
- Izzy Mishler posted 11 kills while hitting a team-best .400, adding two blocks and two digs.
- Adeline Hundl contributed nine kills and six digs, along with a block.
- Frances Torres added six kills while hitting .333.
- Layla Moore finished with six kills while hitting .357.
- Camilla Brandalise paced the offense with 30 assists, while Camdynn Gonzalez added 19 assists and an ace.
- Ivy Cooper led the Hokies defensively with 26 digs.
- Tech finished with 69 kills on 183 attacks, hitting .240 as a team.
- The Hokies totaled 66 assists, 81 digs and nine blocks.
- Hazelton’s 26 kills were a match high.
- Tech had two players record double-doubles, with Hazelton and Gasparini leading the Hokies offensively.
Up Next
The Hokies return to the Northwestern Invitational Sunday at noon against LIU.
