RICHMOND, Va. – NC State dropped its second contest of the season, 3-0, to Liberty at the VCU Third Degree Sportswear Invitational on Friday, Aug. 29. The Flames out-hit the Pack .383 to .143, while landing seven service ace’s to State’s two.
Arlee Tamietti led the Pack in the kill department with nine, while Aiwane Iboaya (6) and Sommer Ivory (4) made healthy contributions. Alex Smith put up 23 assists and Allyson Weissberg added seven digs.
Chelaine McCarty fronted the Liberty assault with 11 kills, while Nicki Scripko dropped three aces. In all, four Flames players landed service aces.
Liberty started the opening frame with an 11-3 rally, but multiple kills sprinkled in by Ivory, Iboaya, Tamietti and Weissberg, along with some Flames miscues, helped the Pack trim the deficit to two at 16-14.
But Liberty responded by taking seven of the next eight points, moving the score to 23-15, before closing out at 25-19.
An incredible .600 attack percentage from the Flames kept the Pack at bay in set two, 25-8, with State hitting just .048.
The Pack’s best statistical and competitive showing was in vein throughout the course of the third and final showdown. NC State opened on a 0-4 run, but Liberty took the next seven points to grab the lead from that point forward. The Pack never trailed by more than six, even coming to within two points of knotting the score at 18-16 on an Ivory kill that forced a timeout from the Flames bench.
The break worked, however, as Liberty grabbed seven of 11 scores to end play, 25-20.
NC State returns to the court tomorrow, Saturday, Aug. 30, with two more contests at the VCU Third Degree Sportswear Invitational. The Pack will battle Kansas at 12 noon, before facing Central Michigan at 4:30 p.m.
Courtesy: Ken Martin
