Wagner, Tigers take care of business against the Spartans (series) in front of a packed Jervey Gym
Clemson (8-0) was able to continue their perfect season against USC Upstate (5-4) on Friday, September 12th.
The first set was about as one sided as it could be, as the Tigers came out to an early 11-1 lead and never allowed the Spartans to come within ten points. A few late points by USC Upstate made the score slightly less lopsided than the game felt, as Clemson came away with a 25-11 victory.
The following set was a thriller, with neither team leading by more than four points throughout. USC Upstate evened the score at twenty-four with a kill from Junior Alyssa Hook, and capitalized with back to back Aces from redshirt Junior Emma DeSensi to win the set and even the match 1-1.
The Tigers responded with a roar, with a 7-3 run midway through the set to take a 18-11 lead. They rode the momentum forward to a 25-18 victory, with a service ace from Katherine Sandt to close it out. An impressive six kills from Middle Hitter Kate Hansen helped Clemson respond to the setback with a confident showing.
Clemson proved their one set loss to be a fluke with an impressive victory in the fourth. The Spartans came out to an early 11-9 lead, but a 6-0 run featuring three kills from Kennedy Wagner gave Clemson a healthy lead for the remainder of the match. The Spartans were able to crawl back, evening the score at twenty-two with a kill from Summer Kohler. The Tigers capitalized on a pair of errors to close out the set with a 25-23 victory, winning the match 3-1.
Junior Kennedy Wagner shined throughout, with a remarkable 18 kills and two blocks. Wagner has been a cornerstone for this undefeated Clemson squad, ranking in the top 40 in kills coming into this game. Middle Hitter Nil Okur had an impressive outing as well, with nine kills and four blocks. Setter Katherine Sandt had another great performance, accruing 40 assists and 18 digs, and even notching two kills of her own. She entered tonight in the top twelve in the country in assists per set, averaging 10.9.
The Tigers look to continue their win streak tomorrow, September 13th, where they will face off against the Wofford Terriers in Jervey Gym at 4pm.
