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CLEMSON, S.C. (SMU) – The No. 23 SMU volleyball team earned its second win of the week with a 25-16, 25-10, 25-16 victory over Clemson (8-5, 0-2 ACC) on Sunday afternoon.
Graduate setter
Celia Cullen earned her 4,000th career assist and senior outside hitter
Jamison Wheeler put down her 1,000th career kill Sunday afternoon in Clemson.
The Mustangs improved to 10-3 on the season and 2-0 to start the program's first season as a member of the ACC. SMU also extended their win streak to five straight and has swept seven opponents, three of which against ranked opponents this season.
SMU dominated the serve game with ten aces to just one for Clemson. The Mustangs were also stout defensively, posting ten blocks and holding the Tigers to a .051 hitting percentage
On the attack, SMU hit .310. Maya Tabron led the Mustangs with 11 kills and a team-high 14 digs, while Naya Shime logged eight kills with five blocks. Jamison Wheeler added nine kills and three digs, while Nnedi Okammor finished the match with four kills and five blocks.
Celia Cullen concluded her milestone outing with 32 assists, ten digs, and three blocks, her second double-double of the season. Natalie Foster was stellar once again from the service line, adding five aces, tying her season-high.
MATCH NOTES:
- Setter Celia Cullen earned her 4,000th career assist Sunday afternoon in Clemson.
- With eight kills against the Tigers, Outside Hitter Jamison Wheeler reached 1,000 career kills.
- SMU drew a game closer in the overall series with the Tigers. Clemson still leads the series 3-2.
- SMU has won the first set in 12 of their 13 matches this season.
- The Mustangs have yet to lose a set in ACC play.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
SET ONE | SMU went up 9-5, followed by a four straight from the Tigers to even the score. The Mustangs responded to Clemson's run with a spurt of their own, collecting the next six to go up 16-10. SMU used that run to propel them to an opening set win, outscoring the Tigers 9-6 down the stretch. Three different Mustangs had four or more kills in the frame, led by Wheeler and Tabron, each of whom had five. SMU had their highest kill total of the match in the first set with 18.
SET TWO | The Mustangs started the second set hot going up as much as 11 (12-1) due to a 10-run after the Tigers claimed the first point. Foster went on a personal run of her own with three consecutive aces. Foster was at the service line for all but one of the points during the Mustangs' rally. Clemson showed some fight with two small runs in the middle of the set, but the lead was too much to handle. The Mustangs then put the finishing touches on the frame with a 6-0 run, including two aces from Tabron and kills from Jentry Lamirand, Natalia Newsome, and Foster to claim a 25-10 set two win. Seven different Mustangs had kills in the second set.
SET THREE | SMU held a slight advantage to start the third frame but created some separation midway through with a 9-3 run. Six different Mustangs record points during the stretch. The run put SMU 14-7 and in firm control. The clubs traded points down the stretch, with Clemson fighting to keep the match alive, but again, the lead was too much for the Tigers to fight off. SMU had their most efficient hitting frame of the game, hitting .407 in set three.
SMU LEADERS:
SMU Kills Leader: Maya Tabron (11)
SMU Assist Leader: Celia Cullen (32)
SMU Digs Leader: Maya Tabron (14)
SMU Blocks Leader: Nnedi Okammor/Naya Shime (5)
SMU Ace Leader: Natalie Foster (5)
UP NEXT:
No. 23 SMU Volleyball will continue their road on Friday, Oct. 4, against Syracuse at 6:00 p.m. CT. For all things SMU Volleyball, follow the program on Instagram, X, and Facebook.
