Boston College’s trip to Clemson ended in a four-set loss Friday night, but the Eagles did not go quietly.
After the Tigers grabbed the first two sets at Jervey Gymnasium, Boston College battled back to take the third and pushed the fourth all the way to the finish before Clemson escaped with a 13-25, 22-25, 25-18, 23-25 win. The result left BC at 10-8 overall and 1-6 in ACC play, while Clemson moved to 7-12 and 1-6 in the league.
Audrey Ross paced the Eagles’ attack with 15 kills and added nine digs and six blocks. Sofija Marjanovic followed with 10 kills, eight digs, and three blocks, and Sam Hoppes contributed eight kills and four blocks.
At the net, Reese Dunkle and Naomi Watson each finished with a team-high seven blocks. Brooklyn Yelland led the back row with 14 digs, while Ava McBride handled the setting with 22 assists, including 17 from Lucie Vesela.
Clemson set the tone early in the opening frame with efficient hitting and a quick separation. Boston College briefly hung around, tying the score at 3-3 after a Hoppes kill and again at 6-6 on a Watson/Marjanovic block assist. The Tigers answered with a 7-1 burst to move ahead 13-7, and although Ross and Hoppes landed kills to keep BC within reach, Clemson finished the set on an 8-2 run to take it 25-13.
The Eagles showed more fight in the second set. Down early, BC strung together three straight points, capped by a solo block from Dunkle and a Hoppes-Dunkle block, to move in front 7-5.
Clemson eventually regained control and built a 20-15 cushion, but Boston College made a late surge. Ross delivered kills during a 4-0 run that pulled the Eagles within 23-22 and forced the Tigers to earn it.
Clemson did just that, taking the last two rallies to edge the set 25-22.
Boston College found its best stretch in the third. Ross opened with a kill, and two Watson blocks helped the Eagles jump to a 3-0 lead.
After Clemson trimmed the margin, BC responded with blocks from Hoppes and Dunkle and kills from Marjanovic and Laney Blevins to stretch the lead to 18-13. Vesela finished the job with a service ace, and the Eagles claimed the set 25-18 to extend the match.
The fourth set was the tightest of the night, with 10 ties and five lead changes. Boston College used a 5-0 run, featuring a Marjanovic service ace and a Watson block, to go up 12-9.
Clemson answered to move ahead 21-19, but the Eagles weren’t done. Ross hammered consecutive kills, and Dunkle teamed for a block to even things at 22-22.
The Tigers responded with back-to-back kills and closed it out 25-23 with a match-ending block.
Boston College heads south next, facing Georgia Tech on Sunday, October 18 at 1 p.m.
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