Collegiate Times

The Virginia Tech volleyball team lost home games for the first time this season last weekend, falling to the University of Miami and No. 17 Florida State.

The Hokies couldn’t gain any momentum in either game. Miami defeated the Hokies 3-0 (17-25, 20-25, 18-25), and Florida State beat Tech 3-1 (19-25, 21-25, 25-19, 16-25).

The loss to Miami marked the first time Tech was shutout this season.

“I’m embarrassed,” head coach Chris Riley said. “We did so much to prepare for this, and to show up that way feels like it’s all for nothing. We put ourselves in a position to do well, and we just didn’t do it. We didn’t execute anything that we tried to do.”

The Hurricanes only committed nine attacking errors compared to Tech’s 17. The defense seemed disorganized throughout the match, and the offense wasn’t able to consistently string passes together.

“We were in some pretty good positions,” Riley said. “We just couldn’t pass, and we couldn’t make enough passes to get our middles the ball. We were out of system and out of place the entire game.”

“We made a lot of errors we usually don’t make,” said Jennifer Wiker, a redshirt freshman outside hitter. “We tried to keep composure and keep energy. Miami’s a good team, but they like to show off a lot of smack down. It’s a little frustrating.”

Not only did the Hokies have trouble with technical aspects of the game, but the emotion they’re known for was missing.

“(I’m) speechless — shocked,” said Felicia Willoughby, Tech junior middle blocker. “I don’t know why we didn’t come out with emotion and intensity. (We) just didn’t come out ready to play.”

Willoughby performed well, amassing seven kills and earning a .357 attack percentage.

Astonishingly, there were only two lead changes in the match; both of those came after Tech scored first in sets two and three. Once Miami reclaimed the lead on both occasions, it never relinquished it.

“I apologize to the crowd for such a terrible performance,” Riley said. “Again, a great crowd was here, and we were bad. We should all be apologizing for that.”

Against the Seminoles, the Hokies showed more competitiveness, but the result was similar.

Tech scored the first point to start the match, but the Seminoles took the lead quickly and never looked back.

While the second set was the most contested, consisting of 13 ties and five lead changes, FSU pulled away after the last tie of the set came at 16-16. The Seminoles gained three-point leads twice after the tie, and although both times Tech came within one point, it was the Seminoles who finished with a 3-0 run to win set two, 25-21.

In the third set, both teams battled until a score of 18-18. The Hokies went on a 7-1 run to win the set 25-19.

The Seminoles proved why they are ranked in the top 25 nationally, however, when they dominated the fourth set and clinched the match.

Tech’s hopes of winning the Atlantic Coast Conference and making the NCAA tournament are dwindling. After winning five straight games, the Hokies now sit at the end of a three-game losing streak.

“I think hopefully you get smacked in the mouth hard enough, you turn around and you want to fight,” Riley said. “Because right now, I know I want to. I hope they do, too.”

The Hokies travel to North Carolina State on Friday and the University of North Carolina on Saturday to continue ACC play. Tech beat the Wolfpack and Tar Heels earlier in the season while on its five-game win streak.