Cardinals Read: No. 3 Cardinals Secure Victory over Clemson with 3-1 Win

Clemson, South Carolina – In an exciting ACC volleyball match, the No. 3-ranked Louisville Cardinals emerged victorious with a 3-1 win over the Clemson Tigers. Aiko Jones was the standout performer for Louisville, racking up 15 kills with an impressive .520 hitting percentage. Jones also contributed two aces and two blocks to help lead her team to victory.

With this win, Louisville now holds a record of 21-3 overall and 12-2 in ACC play. Anna DeBeer also had a strong performance for the Cardinals, recording 14 kills and two aces. Charite Luper and Cara Cresse each added 10 kills and a block to contribute to the team’s success. Luper also landed two aces against the Tigers. Setter Elle Glock played a crucial role with 52 assists and three aces, while libero Elena Scott led the match with 12 digs.

On the other side, the Clemson Tigers put up a good fight but ultimately fell short. They now have a record of 15-10 overall and 6-7 in the league. Despite the loss, Clemson showed resilience and managed to win the first set, marking the first time they have taken a set off Louisville since 2018. The Tigers hit .294 with six aces and six blocks during the match. Kateryna Tkachenko was particularly impressive, hitting at an outstanding .818 with nine kills on 11 swings and no errors. Adria Powell was another standout player for Clemson, delivering three aces, six kills, and four blocks.

Looking ahead, Louisville will return home for their next games. They will host Duke on November 10 at 7 p.m. and North Carolina on November 12 at 1 p.m. The match against North Carolina will also serve as Senior Day for the Cardinals, making it an extra special occasion.

In terms of the set-by-set recap, the first set was a closely contested battle, with both teams trading points. However, Clemson managed to build an 8-4 run, securing a 15-12 lead heading into the timeout. The Tigers extended their lead to 19-13 and maintained their advantage through .375 hitting, including three aces and three blocks. On the other hand, Louisville struggled to find their rhythm with a .258 hitting percentage and no blocks or aces. Cara Cresse was the standout player for the Cardinals in this set, recording five kills on five swings. Ultimately, Clemson took the set with a score of 25-19, marking the first set Louisville has dropped to Clemson since 2018.

In the second set, Louisville gained an early lead of 11-6 and extended it to 19-13. Clemson fought back with strong serving from Adria Powell, initiating a 4-0 run to bring the Tigers within three points at 19-16. This forced Louisville to call a timeout. However, after the break, the Cardinals responded with their own three-point run, bringing the score to 22-18 and prompting a timeout from Clemson. Ultimately, a kill by Cara Cresse at 23-22 took Louisville to set point, and a kill by Anna DeBeer sealed the win for the Cardinals, tying the set score at one going into the break.

In the third set, Louisville took the lead for good at 9-8. Charitie Luper contributed significantly with a pair of aces, prompting Clemson to call a timeout while trailing by five at 19-14. The Cardinals continued to dominate, going on a 7-1 run to secure a comfortable 25-18 win in the set. Louisville hit an impressive .423 in this set and registered six aces.

The fourth set saw Louisville maintain control throughout, never trailing in the match. The Cardinals built a six-point lead at 16-10 with an ace from Charitie Luper. When the score reached 21-13 after an ace from Anna DeBeer, Clemson called a timeout. Unfortunately for the Tigers, they were only able to score two more points as Louisville cruised to a 25-15 win in the set, securing the overall victory.