With the match beginning at 8 p.m. Eastern time, many NC State fans may have missed the theatrics pulled off by the volleyball team against the No. 10 team in the country down in Dallas. Led by senior opposite hitter Amanda Rice who tallied a season-high in kills and points and senior middle blocker Jada Allen who tallied a career-high in blocks, the Wolfpack came back from 2-0 down to earn its first ranked win of the season.
The Pack (16-12, 11-9 ACC) played the Mustangs (24-7, 16-4 ACC) just eight days before this matchup, in another match that went to five sets. This time, the red-and-white made sure to put themselves in the winning column, coming from behind, and winning the final three sets 25-14, 25-18 and 17-15.
From either side, Rice was the leader in kills and points. In her senior season, Rice has made significant jumps in her play as she continues to earn national recognition for being one of the best at her position.
Compared to last season, Rice has more than doubled her digs and quadrupled her service aces, showing the improvements are happening on both sides of the net.
Coming into the match, the Pack knew it needed a marquee win if it wanted a chance to earn an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. After taking SMU to five sets a little over a week ago, the team knew it was possible.
But after dropping the first set 25-15 and then not coming away with the second despite holding a 16-13 lead, the Wolfpack looked to be staring down a season-ending 3-0 sweep.
In the third set, the Pack took it in dominating fashion, showing SMU it wasn’t going to go down easily. Extending an early 5-2 lead to 8-3 and then to 14-7, the Pack forced two timeouts from the Mustangs by halfway through the set. Continuing to build after the stoppages, the Pack extended its lead to 10 points and closed the set winning 25-15.
NC State didn’t enjoy the same early lead in the fourth as it did in the third, but managed to outlast SMU to take the set 25-18. Up until the score was 15-14 neither team enjoyed more than a three-point lead.
Then, the Pack won eight of the next 10 points and were up 23-16 and two points within tying the match at two sets apiece. An attack error and service error by SMU pushed them over the hump and took the second set 25-18.
In a tight fifth set, the Pack got to match point and a 14-12 lead before surrendering a 3-0 run to the Mustangs. Being down a match point, the Pack rattled three points of its own in a row to take the match.
Now, all NC State volleyball can do is wait. With the NCAA selection show on Sunday, Dec. 1 at 6 p.m., the fate of its season is now for the first time no longer in its hands.
