Clemson Defeats Virginia in Four

The Clemson Tigers (14-10, 2-10 ACC) dropped the first set against the Virginia Cavaliers (10-12, 3-9 ACC), but rallied to capture the next three, securing a 3-1 victory (22-25, 25-20, 25-19, 28-26) on the road in Charlottesville.

Match Highlights

Junior transfer Khaya Gordon led Clemson with 16 kills.
Mia McGrath and Mia Moore followed with 13 and 12 kills each.
Claire Luoma recorded two aces, while Nil Okur and Kate Hansen contributed key blocks.

Set Breakdown

Opening Set

Virginia started strong, creating a five-point lead early. Clemson narrowed the gap to two points after kills from Gordon, McGrath, and Moore. Despite an ace from Luoma and a kill by Okur closing the distance to one, Virginia held on to win the first set.

Second Set

Clemson responded immediately, taking an early lead with kills from McGrath and Gordon, supported by a solo block from Hansen. Strong defense and multiple block assists from Okur, Moore, and Gordon helped the Tigers maintain control and close the set 25-20.

Third Set

Riding their momentum, the Tigers executed several scoring runs in the third set, highlighted by another ace from Luoma. Their consistent pressure extended the lead and set the tone for the remainder of the match.

“The Tigers carried that momentum into the third set to string together three-point and four-point runs... to take the lead.”

Result

Clemson finished strong, earning a 3-1 win to close out the weekend series.

Author’s Summary: Clemson rallied after dropping the first set to defeat Virginia 3-1, powered by top offensive and defensive performances across the roster.

Clemson University Athletics — 2025-11-03