WVU Tops Wake Forest, Wins Mountaineer Classic

Saturday, September 15

Morgantown, W.Va.

7:00 p.m.

West Virginia University

7-5

Wake Forest

5-7

Wake Forest

West Virginia

Photo by: Katie MacCrory

September 15, 2018 11:05 PM | Volleyball

Box Score Box Score Season Stats Coach Sunahara Postgame Highlights Photo Gallery

By: Amy Salvatore

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Junior outside hitter Katelyn Evans was named the MVP of the 2018 Mountaineer Classic, as she led the West Virginia University volleyball team to a 3-1 victory over Wake Forest for the Mountaineers' fourth straight win on Saturday evening, at the WVU Coliseum, in Morgantown. WVU moved to 7-5 on the year and took the match in set scores of 25-23, 20-25, 25-17 and 25-19.

WVU went 3-0 on the weekend to win the tournament. Evans hit .280 with 3.67 kills per set and added 10 blocks throughout the weekend. Sophomore middle blocker Katie DeMeo averaged 1.92 blocks per set, totaling 23 blocks in a trio of matches, as she joined Evans on the all-tournament team. DeMeo also hit .369 on the weekend with 2.58 kills per set.

"That's what we expect out of her (Katelyn Evans)," fourth-year coach Reed Sunahara said. "That's what she is capable of doing. Hopefully that continues. She has to keep working hard, and she has to keep doing the right things. Good things will come for her."

Evans led the Mountaineers with 15 kills, hitting .257 across four sets. DeMeo had a career-high 14 kills and five blocks, while freshman outside hitter Kristin Lux had 11 kills and 10 digs for a double-double.

Freshman middle blocker Kristina Jordan and Lux each added four block assists as well. Sophomore defensive specialist Alexa Hasting led the floor defense with a season-high 19 digs, while freshman setter Lacey Zerwas contributed nine. Junior defensive specialist Gabrielle Cuckovich had five digs, while sophomore defensive specialist Ava Richards and freshman defensive specialist Marielena Somoza each had four.

Jordan added a career-high four service aces to the scoresheet, while Zerwas, Somoza and Richards each added one, as WVU had a season-high seven aces in the match. Zerwas also dished out a career-high 44 assists on the evening.

West Virginia hit .240 with 50 kills, 54 digs and nine team blocks in the match. Wake Forest hit .140 with 43 kills and six team blocks, as Myca Mitchell led the Demon Deacons with 14 kills.

"It was disappointing in the second set, but I thought we fought back and did a nice job," Sunahara said. "We came back strong. Even when it was tight, we never backed down. Hopefully, that gives us a lot of momentum heading into Wednesday's Big 12 opener vs. Iowa State."

West Virginia rattled off six of seven points midway through the first set to take a 13-10 advantage before Wake Forest called a timeout. The Demon Deacons used a late four-point scoring run down the stretch to regain the lead at 20-16. WVU used a timeout to regroup, as a Wake Forest service error and an ace from Jordan brought the Mountaineers within two at 20-18. Wake Forest's Caroline Rassenfoss put down a kill, as well as a service ace, to increase the Demon Deacons' lead to three at 22-19. DeMeo added a late kill before her and junior right side hitter Natania Levak teamed up for the block to cut the Mountaineers' deficit to one at 22-21. Wake Forest's Olivia Saunders put one through the pins, but DeMeo continued with the hot hands late in the frame, notching a trio of kills and a solo block in the final four points to claim the set, 25-23, as well as the 1-0 match lead for WVU.

The Mountaineers dropped the second set, 20-25, but rebounded in the third to tie the match at one set apiece. WVU took a quick 11-3 lead, forcing Wake Forest to use its second and final timeout early in the frame. The Demon Deacons battled back, though, scoring five straight to come within three at 11-8. Evans notched a pair of kills on a 5-0 run from WVU that provided separation, putting the Mountaineers on top 16-8. However, Wake Forest used a trio of Mountaineer miscues to their advantage, cutting its deficit to four at 16-12, as West Virginia took a timeout. Evans and DeMeo each had a kill out of the stoppage, putting WVU on top for good at 19-12. Both teams traded points down the stretch, but a pair of attacking errors by the Demon Deacons and a kill from Evans put the set away, 25-17, and gave WVU the 2-1 match lead.

West Virginia put the match away in the fourth, hitting .222 with 11 kills to roll to a 25-19 victory. Tied at 10 points apiece, the Mountaineers scored five in a row to make it a 15-10 advantage before the Demon Deacons took a timeout. Wake Forest used a late scoring run, but was not able to recover, as Evans put down a pair of kills late in the frame for the 23-19 lead. Jordan served up an ace, bringing the Mountaineers to set point at 24-19. She then followed suit with her fourth service ace of the evening, winning the set and the match, 3-1.

Up next, WVU will play host to Iowa State at the WVU Coliseum to open Big 12 play on Wednesday, Sept. 19. First serve is set for 6 p.m.

Of note, the Mountaineers are five wins away from collecting their 700th win in program history. West Virginia currently holds a 695-727 all-time record since its inaugural season in 1974.

For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVUVolleyball on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.