After opening the season with a 12-game winning streak, Clemson volleyball dropped its first two conference matchups, falling to Florida State on Friday and then to No. 24 Miami on Sunday.
Unlike Friday’s match, where the Tigers, 12-2, 0-2 ACC, managed to take a set against the Seminoles, the Hurricanes swept the Tigers in three straight sets — 19-25, 18-25 and 19-25.
Kennedy Wagner, Mia McGrath and Kate Hansen helped keep the Tigers competitive in the opening set, while Claire Luoma and Nil Okur delivered crucial kills in the second set. However, Miami’s powerful offense overwhelmed Clemson’s defense, allowing the Hurricanes to take a commanding 2-0 lead going into the third set.
Clemson opened the final set on a promising 6-2 run behind Hansen, McGrath and Bianca Martinez’s kills, but Miami quickly flipped the momentum back for good with a 9-1 run — a theme that summed up the night.
McGrath led Clemson in multiple categories, tying Hansen with her team-high 6 points while also recording six kills and six digs. Katherine Sandt paced the offense with 19 assists and added an ace.
Sunday’s match concluded the Tigers’ month-long homestand, which they finished at 12-2. They now hit the road for a two-game stretch, facing Pitt on Oct. 3 and SMU on Oct. 5.
