Clemson volleyball achieved its first in-conference win against the Boston College Eagles on Friday with a 3-2 triumph in five sets at Jervey Gym.
The game was determined by Clemson’s resilience, as the team was able to come back from being down 2-1 and win in front of a packed Jervey Gym.
Clemson’s tenacity was on full display throughout the first set. The Tigers took an early 8-7 lead and maintained control all the way to a 25-22 victory. The Tigers boasted both a better kill and dig total than the Eagles while maintaining a .255 hit percentage. That, coupled with near-perfect serving (just a single service error), yielded an ideal recipe for a Tiger victory. Aźyah Dailey shined with seven total kills and a .294 hit percentage. The win gave all the momentum to Clemson, but that momentum was taken away temporarily in the sets following.
Boston College came out angry and maintained healthy leads throughout most of the second and third sets. The Tigers were able to hang in at the start, trailing only 18-16 relatively late in the second set. They scored a single point for the remainder, handing Boston College a 25-17 victory. The Eagles rode the momentum into a 25-18 victory in set three.
The fourth set saw a comeback. While down 2-1 in the match, the Tigers trailed the must-win bout 15-12. A Boston College service error sparked a 5-0 run that the Tigers propelled into a 25-20 set victory. Fueled by an emphatic crowd that Jervey Gym has become known for, the Tigers evened the match 2-2, with all the momentum going into the final set.
The Eagles were never able to regain control of the game, as the Tigers vanquished Boston College 15-12 in the final set. Dailey added to a list of clutch performances this season with crucial back-to-back kills to put the game away. The senior had an exceptional performance, with 22 total kills (five coming in the shortened final set) and a .314 hit percentage. Mia McGrath shined as well, accounting for 16 total points, including three kills and a match-point assist in the final set.
The Tigers will be back in action on Friday in Coral Gables, Florida, where they will face Miami at 7 p.m.
